Eat & Drink
Originally published on Wednesday, 21st March 2007
Salad of Wilted Dandelion, Sourdough Croutons and Pancetta
In collaboration with Eat Drink Talk
Serves 2
Dandelion has a long, documented history of culinary use. In Britain, the flowers and root were traditionally made into wine and medicinal beverages, and also into jam. Try and use younger dandelion leaves which are less bitter than the older, tougher leaves.
Ingredients
2 bunches dandelion leaves, thick stems removed and torn into smaller, bite-sized pieces
100 grams of pancetta slices, approx ½ inch thick, sliced into thin matchsticks
2 shallots, finely sliced
2 slices day-old sourdough bread, roughly cut into cubes
6 tsp red-wine vinegar (try and get your hands on Cabernet Sauvignon vinegar from Spain, available at the Spanish deli Brindisa)
8 tbsp olive oil
Freshly grated black pepper
Sea salt
Instructions
Place the pancetta in a medium sauté pan on medium-low heat and sauté until crisp. Remove the pancetta with a slotted spoon or spatula and drain on a kitchen towel.
Add the shallots and sourdough bread cubes to the same pan you cooked the pancetta in. Toss in the fat from the pancetta for a few minutes until the shallots are lightly wilted and the bread cubes are toasted. Remove the shallots and bread cubes and place in a large salad bowl.
Wipe out the pan with a piece of kitchen towel and return to the heat. Add the dandelion greens to the pan along with a tbsp of the olive oil. Toss in the hot pan for 1-2 minutes until lightly wilted and add to the shallots and bread cubes. Add the drained pancetta and toss well to mix.
Whisk together the vinegar and olive oil and pour over the salad. Toss again to combine and season well with the salt and pepper.
Serve immediately.
Jennifer Klinec from Eat Drink Talk has kindly agreed to provide Urban Junkies readers with mouthwatering recipes and foodtips.
To learn more, classes at Eat Drink Talk are held in Jennifer's beautiful loft in Clerkenwell, packed with information and useful tips, and you'll get to sample all of the delicious dishes prepared during class.
In collaboration with Eat Drink Talk