Okay, guys. I have a confession to make. I'm slowly re-branding my blog.
I don't know; does that really make it a confession? A little dramatic, maybe? Either way, tiny changes are happening and I'm excited!
First: the bigger change: I'm going to start focusing more on Mediterranean food, especially the Greek stuff! I'll still share recipes outside of that because really, I love all food (duh), but I can't deny how passionate I am towards Mediterranean cuisine. Being a first generation American, I grew up in a typical old school Greek household and had a strong connection with the food and culture. So while you'll see recipes like homemade marshmallow sauce and bacon and egg lo mein from time to time, you'll be seeing a lot more Greek food and such, like this psari plaki! I hope you're hungry. I know I am.
Also, I'm also slowly updating my about page. I recently added new, goofy photos and I've edited the first half of the page with new content. It's not finished just yet, but I wanted to at least get a start on it and give a little more info about who I am outside of just loving food.
As for more changes? There are a couple more, but I'll talk about them as they happen down the road. We have important food things to discuss! Moving on.
Today's recipe is horta vrasta (HOR-tah vra-STAH), which means "boiled greens" in Greek. You can use different leafy greens like dandelions or chard, but the more popular choice in Greek cooking (and maybe even traditional) would be dandelions, or radikia, if you want to refer to them by their Greek name! These tasty greens are flavored simply with salt, lemon juice, and extra virgin olive oil. The higher quality olive oil you are using, the better!
Horta vrasta is very easy to make as it involves few ingredients. The most work you really have to do is clean the greens because they will be full of sand when you buy them from the store. You can do this a couple of ways. You can follow the Papa Flabouris route and wash them well in your kitchen sink, but make sure to "wash the sink very good before you put the horta in there because that sink is dirty from your dishes." He reminds me of that almost every time we speak. 🙂 Alternately, you can use a giant bowl and rins in there. I find the sink route to be a lot easier. There's a high chance you'll be buying the dandelions with the roots, so trim them off and rinse those greens well!
Boiling the greens helps remove the bitterness and they take about 15-20 minutes to cook, depending. The best way to know if they are done is checking the thicker part of the stems with a fork. If they fold over your fork easily and feel tender, they are done! Be careful not to over-boil them because you don't want mushy greens!
Horta vrasta is a great side for fried or grilled fish, though I will just eat them alone a lot of the time because I just love this stuff. I always wanted to have it when my parents made it growing up. I was a weird kid.
After boiling, strain the greens and if you want, you can reserve the water to drink as a "dandelion tea." It's not something I ever did, but my grandparents and mom always drank it because it's "good for you." I found that to be gross when I was a kid, though I should try it as an adult and see how I feel about it now.
I prefer to eat this at room temperature and usually store in the fridge after straining; saving the dressing part just before serving. I highly recommend you use a good quality olive oil for this and make sure it's extra virgin! You can play with the lemon juice/olive oil ratio to taste, but don't worry about skimping out on that salt. 🙂
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds dandelion greens
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt to taste
- Juice from one lemon
Instructions
- Trim any roots off the greens and rinse very well. Fill a large stockpot with water and bring to a boil (I used an 8-quart stockpot and filled it with 5 and a half quarts of water).
- When the water comes to a boil, add a generous pinch of salt and the greens. Submerge them completely and cook until the stems are soft and fork-tender; this can take anywhere from 10-20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the stems.
- Drain the greens and dress with the olive oil, lemon juice, and salt to taste. If making ahead, refrigerate the greens after draining and save the dressing just before serving.
- This can be served warm or at room temperature.
Hi Marissa! I have never had dandelion greens, but do eat Swiss chard, turnip greens and spinach (all of which we grow). My husband likes collard greens with vinegar - I don't. I must admit I usually like a little cream and Parmesan on my greens. Here in the South people really, really overcook vegetables - MUSHY! I remember as a kid picking dandelion greens with my best friend because her dad liked them - I've never seen them in stores. Like your new photo!
Thanks, Dorothy! I love all those greens. One of my weaknesses is creamed spinach, especially! Though I love cream and cheese on just about anything as long as it will taste good. 🙂
Hi. My mother in would prepare this dish all summer long. I never took the time to learn how to do it. My husband's Greek blood thank you. Lol
Marissa, I think that's so awesome that you are going to focus on Meditteranean food! It's so fun to pay homage to your heritage and I cant' wait to see what you cook up. I love Meditteranean food (minus olives). Thanks for sharing. Also, I love this salad!
Thanks, Lexi! I'm borderline-obsessed with olives. I'll happily eat your share. <3
The new focus of your blog sounds lovely (& delicious)! The dandelion greens are so pretty!
Thanks so much, Valentina!
Can I just tell you how much I love dandelion greens? They are in season here now, and I have only ever tried them in my salad. I'm TOTALLY trying this - in fact I can't wait to get a batch! I love greens too 🙂 Growing up in the South though...our "greens" were turnips and collards 🙂 These greens sound amazing!
Thanks, Paige! My parents had tons of it in their garden and I need to visit to get some for home. I usually buy it at the market, though I might grow it next year. I love turnips and collards, but I can only imagine how much better they are to have in the actual south and not from a restaurant in the northeast claiming to have amazing southern food (though the food does taste good). 😉
I just loved this greens Recipe
Thanks so much, Krishna! <3
VERY COOL! Love the re-branding idea! Either way your recipes look amazing even though every now and then I have to skip your meat ones 😉
I'm very curious about the Greek recipes to come! This one already looks pretty awesome! Boiled Dandy Greens? I DEFFO want to try!! 😀
Thanks, Howie! I know meat's not your thing, but I'm so glad you visit for everything else. <3 Let me know how the recipe comes out if you make it!
Great recipe!
Amazing! When my husband asked for horta I immediately googled it, as I do every meal. Lol.
The recipe and directions were perfect, no one likes dark mushy greens. Thank you!
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Jackelyn!
I had picked up some dandy on my walk coz they looked so lush and i remembered reading somewhere they are edible. I boiled mine for 5 minutes and threw it inside a chicken stir fry along with other odds and ends. I got a stiff kung fu kick in the mouth along with a delicious palette symphony. Am very impressed.
Hello !
Thank you for the article.
Do you know what is the translation in greek for "dandelion greens" ?
Thank you !
Unfortunately followed your instructions and after just 15 minutes
ta sorta were a mass of overcooked greens.
Should not be cooked more than 10
minutes.
Hi Nikos! I'm so sorry to hear they didn't turn out the way you expected. Were the stems on the greens on the thinner side? That's my best guess as to why they'd turn up overcooked. I just updated the recipe instructions to start checking the greens after 10 minutes. Thanks for bringing this to my attention!
RE: "After boiling, strain the greens and if you want, you can reserve the water to drink as a 'dandelion tea.' It's not something I ever did, but my grandparents and mom always drank it because it's 'good for you.' I found that to be gross when I was a kid, though I should try it as an adult and see how I feel about it now."
Did you ever try that "tea?" My mother used to make it, but with the broth containing lemon juice and salt and, if I recall correctly, a smidgeon of olive oil. Perhaps she added the same ingredients as those you mention, but earlier in the cooking process? The few times she made it growing up I actually enjoyed it. It was the horta I wasn't fond of, because of its appearance and texture.
My mother's recipe stems (pun intended) from Vourbiani, a village in Greece's Ioannina Prefecture. Fun(? Actually, frightening) fact: her background is similar to Nicholas Gage's mother's village in his 1983 book *Eleni.* The author's mother hailed from Lia. 1948, the year in which she was killed, was also the year in which my mother, her sister and parents were taken from their home. Her parents went to one or more labor camps in Albania (I don't know if her mother and father were separated due to gender), and she and her sister were sent to an all girls' "orphanage" in the then-Polish People's Republic. Her situation is similar to that of Ukrainian children recently taken by Russia.