Dandelion

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About Dandelion
Wikipedia Article About Dandelion on Wikipedia

Dandelion (Taraxacum) is a large genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. They are tap-rooted biennial or perennial herbaceous plants, native to temperate areas of the Northern Hemisphere of the Old World. The genus is taxonomically very complex, with numerous apomictic microspecies, and polyploidy is also common; over 250 species have been recorded in the British Isles alone (Richards 1972). Some botanists take a much broader viewpoint, and only accept a total of about 60 species. Dandelion clock Enlarge Dandelion clock A child blows a dandelion clock Enlarge A child blows a dandelion clock

The leaves are 5-25 cm long, simple and basal, entire or lobed, forming a rosette above the central taproot. As the leaves grow outward they push down the surrounding vegetation, such as grass in a lawn, killing the vegetation by cutting off the sunlight. A bright yellow flower head (which is open in the daytime but closes at night) is borne singly on a hollow stem (scape) which rises 4-30 cm above the leaves and exudes a milky sap (latex) when broken. A rosette may produce several flowering stems at a time. The flower head is 2-5 cm in diameter and consists entirely of ray florets. An interesting fact about dandelion flowers is that they are useless vestigial structures. They reproduce without fertilization, a process called apomixis[1]. The flower matures into a globe of fine filaments that are usually distributed by wind, carrying away the seed-containing achenes. This globe (receptacle) is called the "dandelion clock", and blowing it apart is a popular pastime for children. The number of blows required to completely rid the clock of its seeds is deemed to be the time of day. The flower head is surrounded by bracts (sometimes mistakenly called sepals) in two series. The inner bracts are erect until the seeds mature, then flex down to allow the seeds to disperse; the outer bracts are always reflexed downward. Some species drop the "parachute" (called a pappus, modified sepals) from the achenes. Between the pappus and the achene, there is a stalk called beak, which elongates as the fruit matures. The beak breaks off from the achene quite easily.

The name dandelion is a derivation of the Old French, dent-de-lion, literally "lion's tooth" on account of the sharply lobed leaves of the plant. In modern French the plant is called pissenlit, "urinate in bed", referring to its diuretic properties. Likewise, "pissabeds" is an English folkname for this plant and "piscialletto" in Italian.

Buying Dandelion
Although Dandelions is one of the most popular vegetables used in different dishes, you can get it for a very reasonable price. If you are cooking for a large family, you will want to purchase larger quantities of Dandelions and store them properly. The cost of this vegetable varies depending on many different factors, such as marketplace location, local competition, type of Dandelions that you want to purchase and so on. An older Dandelions will most likely cost less than a freshly picked one, but this also depends on where you buy it from, as some stores might not differentiate their vegetables like this.

Preparing Dandelion
With an ever-increasing speed of life, cooking times are now more important than ever. Cooking Dandelions is fast and easy, thus recommending this vegetable as a good first choice for many meals. When cooking this vegetable you should try and slice it up, so that you diminish cooking time even further. Most dishes using Dandelions require you to prepare it before starting the dish, but only call for cooking it for a short time. Sine this vegetable cooks so quickly, it’s a good idea to supervise it closely so that it doesn’t get overcooked.

Cooking Dandelion

 * Stir-frying Dandelion
 * Steaming Dandelion
 * Boiling Dandelion
 * Pan-Frying Dandelion
 * Roasting Dandelion
 * Stewing Dandelion

There are so many ways in which you can use Dandelions. Cook it in soups, chop it up and toss it in salads or use it as a side dish for different meat dishes. The list of Dandelions recipes is almost endless, mainly because this is a very popular vegetable in many countries and chefs are always coming up with innovative ways of preparing Dandelions. Many vegetarian menus place Dandelions within the top ten plants, but this nutritious vegetable is also used in many meat-based dishes.

Salads
If there is a modern favorite vegetable that you can use in salads it has to be Dandelions. This tasty and highly nutritious plant offers a perfect blend of taste, density and shape for any salad. Use it in strictly vegetarian dishes and salads or mix it up with fish or different dressings and sauces for an unforgettable taste.

Side Dishes
Although Dandelions has all the main qualities to become the “attraction” of the table, it is often used as a side dish. Many popular side dish recipes include Dandelions on their ingredient list, as this vegetable offers the right mix of taste and visual elements. Meat is often accompanied by Dandelions, as this creates and excellent balance from many point of view. From a nutritional point of view, Dandelions is a perfect complementary element for all sorts of meat, as it offers vitamins and soluble fibers. Using Dandelions in side dish recipes is also recommended because it aids digestion and makes even a heavier meal feel light.

Soups
Together with different other vegetables, Dandelions is one of the main ingredients of several tasty soups that are enjoyed all over the world. Since Dandelions takes a short time to cook, it’s a favorite vegetable ingredient for many cooks and professional chefs. In many recipes you will notice that the Dandelions is only added towards the end of the preparation time – this is because it cooks rapidly and adding it late enables it to keep most of its nutritious elements. Often combined with chopped and minced veggies, Dandelions may be used in different shapes as part of a soup.

Dandelion Recipes
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