General Information
Red Dandelion, also called “Italico Rosso”, is similar to Green Italian Dandelion but has beautiful red stems and mid-veins. Both are leafy chicories. The Italian Dandelion (both red and green varieties) is a hardy plant and is entirely edible, including the flowers, roots, and leaves. The attractive and tasty, red dandelion greens deliver a bitter-sweet taste. Young leaves can be enjoyed fresh in salads. Larger mature leaves should be blanched briefly to remove bitterness. They may be steamed and enjoyed as a side dish or used in a warm salad. Very high in iron.
History
Red Dandelion greens are native to Italy, where the name “cicoria” was somehow mistranslated in the case of this leaf chicory. The confusion may be due to the uncanny similarities between this leafy green and its weedy doppelganger. Red Dandelion greens grow well in the Mediterranean region as well as in similarly moderate climates. The greens can also be found growing for commercial consumption in the US.
