Bedpisser Soup

Bedpisser Soup
Dandelion and Feta Soup with Kritharaki

Last week we visited Athens Market (link) and got a number of our favourite items carried by that wonderful store, including some fresh dandelions and a large piece of imported Greek feta. We ate most of the feta in the usual ways over the first two days but there remained a small piece kept in salted water. To use that up, I thought I might use it in a cooked application.

The dandelions I prepared in one of the simple manners used in my family’s Italian tradition, with garlic and some dry red chile flakes, as described in this post (see option 2):
http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=21067#21067
Once the greens were cooked about halfway or so, I added chicken stock and brought that to the boil. I then added some salt and ca. 300 grams of kritharaki. When the kritharaki were nearing the end of their cooking, I added ca. 100-150 grams of Greek feta, which I had previously broken into small pieces with a fork. With a wooden spoon I stirred the cheese into the soup until it had all dissolved, at which point – between the thickening action of the cheese and the absorption of water by the pasta – the soup was no longer really a soup.




At this point I added a little bit of water to achieve the desired consistency, as shown below.


For serving, the dish was finished with some freshly ground black pepper, a sprinkling of toasted bread crumbs and a drizzle of excellent olive oil from Crete.

Very tasty.

Antonius

Links to other recipes and cooking notes by this writer: http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=55649#55649

Antonius,

Looks great. But why is it called "Bedpisser?"

Mike

m'th'su wrote:Antonius,

Looks great. But why is it called "Bedpisser?"

Mike

Mike,

I'm glad you asked!

Lots of western European languages, like English, refer to 'dandelions' (< French dents de lion, cf. It. denti di leone, Sp. diente de leon, Ger. Löwenzahn) as 'Lion's teeth' (from the shape of the leaves). But there is another family of names that come from the diuretic qualities of the plant: Dutch bedpisser, French pissenlit, English (dialectal) pissabed.

I love dandelions and Athens Market often has very fresh ones, though sometimes they're rather on the large side and thus better for cooking than eating raw.



Antonius

Interesting post. Dandelions are called Leontodon in Greek but whenever I wanted them I just ordered them as Horta which is simply greens.

I generally get them at Psistaria on Touhy where in the spring the owner has either a friend or family member with a farm north west of Chicago who supplies him. I think the astringency goes very well with atomiko youvetsi (a great single serving crock of tender braised lamb and orzo in a tomato sauce) and a side of tzatziki.Ordering them always come with a paternal smile and nod from the waiter who never fails to let you know that they are "very good for your health".


Psistaria
4711 W Touhy Ave,
Lincolnwood, IL
Tel: (847) 676-9400

So between this and the garlic... when's your soup cookbook coming out?

Dandelion greens! Is it Spring already?
Thanks for the heads up, A.

sazerac wrote:Dandelion greens! Is it Spring already?
Thanks for the heads up, A.

Pitchers and catchers have already reported!...

By the way, in addition to Athens Market, I find Whole Foods (the one on Dearborn and Superior or Huron is the one I visit) has dandelions regularly. The ones there are typically younger and thus more tender and better suited for raw consumption than the ones at Athens Market. Of course, they're also more expensive. (Note too, the tips of the ones at AM can be used successfully in a salad.)

Antonius

Octarine wrote:I generally get them at Psistaria on Touhy where in the spring the owner has either a friend or family member with a farm north west of Chicago who supplies him.

Years ago Monica Eng visited Psistaria as part of her World Eats column. She had ordered them as take-out. Only after they arrived did they commence preparing her order. This was very intentional as they felt the cooked Dandelions were their best flavor hot from the stove. She listened to every word and promptly ate them in the car.

I have an American Indian cookbook, where they take Dandelion flowers, dip them in a cornmeal mixture and fry them. I made them one speculatively maybe 20 years ago. While they were ok with me, nobody else in my family liked them.

Regards,

Octarine wrote:I generally get them at Psistaria on Touhy

Octarine,

I don't think I'm quite as keen on Psistaria as you, though I do like the gyros as they make their own in-house. Don't get me wrong, Psistaria is fine, charming, or gruff, depending on your mood and/or waiter, service, decent value for ones dining dollar, and, of course, dandelions in season.

By the way, Antonius, I'm with JoelF, when's your soup cookbook coming out. On second thought, not just soup, but a complete array of Antonius specialties.

Enjoy,
Gary

Octarine wrote:Interesting post. Dandelions are called Leontodon in Greek but whenever I wanted them I just ordered them as Horta which is simply greens.

I generally get them at Psistaria on Touhy where in the spring the owner has either a friend or family member with a farm north west of Chicago who supplies him. I think the astringency goes very well with atomiko youvetsi (a great single serving crock of tender braised lamb and orzo in a tomato sauce) and a side of tzatziki.Ordering them always come with a paternal smile and nod from the waiter who never fails to let you know that they are "very good for your health".


Psistaria
4711 W Touhy Ave,
Lincolnwood, IL
Tel: (847) 676-9400

Horta is correct..being greek i grew up on the stuff..no Greek would ever refer to his food as bedpisser but of course you never knew what pissed on the fresh picked dandelions you were eating

deke rivers wrote:Horta is correct..being greek i grew up on the stuff..no Greek would ever refer to his food as bedpisser but of course you never knew what pissed on the fresh picked dandelions you were eating

Deke,

Certainly horta is used to refer dandelions but as Octarine says, it is actually a broader label and quite comparable to English 'greens'. Leontodon does, of course, also exist as well but I have no idea how commonly used it is, given the frequent use of the generic label horta. But there are a bunch of other words used in one variety or another of Greek, perhaps for one variety or another of the old bedpisser, e.g. agrioradiki, agriomaroulo (cf. agrios 'wild'), pikrafaka, pikralida (cf. pikra 'bitterness'), as well as taraxako (cf. the scientific designation) and, at least according to my Greek desk dictionary kichori(?). It wouldn't surprise me at all if there are more regional terms for dandelion (varieties), given the popularity of wild greens in Greece.

Do you have any particular favourite treatments from your family traditions?

Antonius

Antonius wrote:

deke rivers wrote:Horta is correct..being greek i grew up on the stuff..no Greek would ever refer to his food as bedpisser but of course you never knew what pissed on the fresh picked dandelions you were eating

Deke,

Certainly horta is used to refer dandelions but as Octarine says, it is actually a broader label and quite comparable to English 'greens'. Leontodon does, of course, also exist as well but I have no idea how commonly used it is, given the frequent use of the generic label horta. But there are a bunch of other words used in one variety or another of Greek, perhaps for one variety or another of the old bedpisser, e.g. agrioradiki, agriomaroulo (cf. agrios 'wild'), pikrafaka, pikralida (cf. pikra 'bitterness'), as well as taraxako (cf. the scientific designation) and, at least according to my Greek desk dictionary kichori(?). It wouldn't surprise me at all if there are more regional terms for dandelion (varieties), given the popularity of wild greens in Greece.

Do you have any particular favourite treatments from your family traditions?

Antonius

Im partial to pastitsio and dolmades..specifically my mothers