March
Let
4 prs.
20 min.
Dandelion braised in tomato and chili
- 350 g dadelion leaves
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1 chili or a pinch of dried chili
- 2 ripe tomatoes of high quality chopped in cubes of 1x1 cm (when tomatoes are not in season, use a can of high-quality tomatoes)
- 3 tablespoons of tomato passata (crushed and pureed tomatoes)
- extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- 10 Ice cubes
- Clean the dandelion by removing the bottom part close the root and wash it thoroughly under running water. Prepare an icebath while bringing a pot of water to a boil. Salt the water, blanch the dandelion for 2 minutes and put in the icewater.
- Crush the garlic lightly with the flat side of a knife, heat a pan over medium high heat and add two tablespoons of oil. Make a “Soffrito" by gently cooking the chili and garlic cloves for 3-5 minutes. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
- Drain the cooked dandelion and squeeze it gently to remove some of the water, then add it to the pan and sauté it with a pinch of salt and pepper. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add diced tomatoes and the passata. Cook it for 4-5 min until all the moisture of the tomatoes is absorbed.
- Turn off the heat, remove the garlic and pour the dandelion with its dressing into a plate, and serve it hot.
Tips
This is a dish originating in Abruzzo in central Italy called “tarassaco (Dandelion) al sugo”. Traditionally the dandelions are picked in the mountains. The recipe is based on the ripassata method of blanching and cooking wild herbs to sooth the bitterness that you find in some herbs. The mix of the bitter dandelion and the bright tomato gives this side dish it’s distinct flavour. Here it’s cooked with dandelion, but it could be cooked with chicory.
Alessandro Ciofani
Co-owner and chef
Rufino Osteria opened on the 1st April 2016 and is located in Christianshavn, Copenhagen. The traditonal Osteria offers a friendly and original atmosphere and you can enjoy the art of cooking in the open kitchen dining room. Rufino was opened by roman chef Alessandro Ciofani along side Alberto Sala from Piedmont and two other chefs from the capital Paolo Bonello and Cristiano Sala.
Rufino wants to show, through its dishes, a path that starts from the tradition of Italian cuisine to collect along the way the european influences all the way up to Denmark. The space in which the restaurant has found life, in the magical atmosphere of Christianshavn, is one of the oldest palaces in Copenhagen. Here food has created magic - transporting the atmosphere of the roman tavers of two centuries ago to scandinavia. In Rufino the cavatelli, orechiette and strozzapreti are homemade and the menu is mainly inspired by traditional roman dishes.
