Dandelion greens are a popular bitter green in Italian cooking that resemble a small bunch of Swiss chard or beet greens. I have begun seeing them more often in main stream produce sections which I am thrilled about! I like using them raw in a side salad with toasted hazelnuts and goat cheese; sautéed and used as a unique omelet filling, or sautéed like in this recipe and used as a flavorful and healthy add-in for a whole grain side dish. Here, the bitter greens are sautéed along with shallots and quartered cremini mushrooms until tender. Then, I toss the sauté with a touch of balsamic vinegar before adding it to a bowl of brown and wild rice pilaf topped with crumbled blue cheese. Hearty and healthy, this same sauté would also be delish with whole grain pasta as a nice vegetarian main dish idea.
(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)
Brown & Wild Rice Pilaf with Dandelion Greens & Balsamic Mushrooms
Ingredients:
- 1 cup brown and wild rice
- 2 1/2 cups water or stock
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- crushed red pepper flakes
- 8 oz. cremini mushrooms, quartered
- 1 bunch dandelion greens, ends trimmed, leaves and rest of stalks cut into bite-sized pieces, washed and patted dry
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- crumbled blue cheese
Directions:
- Add the rice, water or stock and a pinch of salt to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 20-25 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice tender.
- In the meantime, melt the butter along with the oil, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes in a large straight-sided sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add in the sliced shallots and mushrooms along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes; add in the chopped greens and an additional pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 3 more minutes, then add in the white wine. Cook until most of the liquid is absorbed and all veggies are tender. Add in the vinegar.
- Toss together with the warm rice and the crumbled blue cheese, about ½ a cup or so.
Tagged: balsamic vinegar, bitter greens, blue cheese, brown and wild rice, cremini mushrooms, crumbled blue cheese, dandelion greens, garlic, greens, mushrooms, rice, rice pilaf, shallots, side dish, vegetarian side dish, white wine
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