Recipe: Dandelion Leaf Relish

The ingredients in this recipe are loosely inspired by an Argentine chimichurri. I roundly appreciate condiments that can be added to simple dishes to create contrast, add flavor/ nutrition & easily make things more layered & delicious.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups washed, dried, loosely packed dandelion leaves
• 1-2 cups parsley, cilantro or a combo of both
  I like to use the parsley/cilantro stems because they have a nice crunchy texture & are the part that most frequently goes to waste for lack of interesting ways to use them
• ⅓ cup chopped fresh or 1 tbsp dried herbs
  Thyme, oregano, tarragon, marjoram, basil are all lovely options...I use what I can find fresh first but any of the above fresh or dried will taste good
• 4-10 cloves freshly chopped garlic
  Perhaps you're a garlic fiend like myself & crave the pungent kick that some others might consider over the top or are interested in more of its medicinal benefits (you likely know who you are) & if so your garlic quota will be on the higher side
• ⅔ cup vinegar of your choice / lemon or lime juice or a combination of all of the above
  In this recipe I used red wine vinegar which is traditionally used for chimichurri & is also what I had in the pantry
• ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1-2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes or chili powder of choice

Directions

Chop all of the fresh ingredients as finely as you have the patience for, the smaller the better, though it will taste good either way.

Store in a glass container in the fridge & it will last for several months, but if you use it as much as I do (on pretty much everything I can) it's unlikely that it will even make it that long.

Dandelion is quintessential resilience medicine. All parts of the plant can be used for food & medicine. There are almost endless delicious, fortifying ways to do so.