Cicoria is a standard cooked green on menus all over Italy—it has a pleasing bitterness that's offset by the richness of the oil it's sautéed in. Sadly, it's hard to find that kind of chicory in America, but dandelion greens make a nice substitute.

3 pound dandelion greens, tough lower stems discarded and leaves cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

5 large garlic cloves, smashed

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Preparation Cook greens in a 10-to 12-quart pot of boiling salted water (3 tablespoons salt for 8 quarts water), uncovered, until ribs are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain in a colander, then rinse under cold water to stop cooking and drain well, gently pressing out excess water. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then cook garlic and red-pepper flakes, stirring, until pale golden, about 45 seconds. Increase heat to medium-high, then add greens and sea salt and sauté until coated with oil and heated through, about 4 minutes. Cooks' note:Dandelion greens can be boiled 3 days ahead. Chill, wrapped in paper towels, in a sealed bag.Per serving: [198] calories, [15] g fat ([2] g saturated), [0] mg cholesterol, [245] mg sodium, [16] g carbohydrates, [6] g fiber, [5] g protein Nutritional analysis provided by Nutrition Data See Nutrition Data's analysis of this recipe ›