Chris Cosentino: a winter warmer recipe for Parkinson’s disease

US celebrity chef, author and philanthropist Chris Cosentino shares his favourite nutrition-packed recipe for braised dandelion greens – cooked with fragrant chilli and pecorino cheese

When Chris Cosentino – a chef based in San Francisco, US – debuted on the US reality TV show ‘Top Chef Masters’, he was competing on behalf of the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. As the winner of the show’s fourth season, he raised US $141,000 for the charity.

Cosentino said that competing on behalf of the Michael J Fox Foundation was a way to honour his uncle, who lived with the condition – and use his passion for cooking to help fund research and increase awareness.

Here, he shares a winter warmer recipe for braised green dandelions.

“This dish is based on a simple premise,” says Cosentino. “The bread acts as a vessel for catching all the great broth, filled with nutrients and flavour from braising the greens.”

He adds: “This is a classic old-school way of cooking greens to get the best out of them. Bitter greens are great for you. They have so many nutrients, aid in reducing inflammation and aid in digestion.”

Image credit: Michael Harlan Turkell.

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

1 yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 cup/5 oz/155 g)

1 head garlic, split crosswise

5 dried chilli such as guajillo, seeded

1lb (500g) dandelion greens, tough stems removed, leaves cut crosswise into wide strips

5_1/2 cups (44 fl oz/1.35l) chicken stock

4 inch (10cm) piece pecorino cheese rind

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tbsp fruity extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
6 baguette slices

1 lemon

Wedge of pecorino cheese for shaving

Method

• In a large pot over medium heat, warm two tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about five minutes. Add the chillies and continue to cook, stirring, until lightly toasted, about five minutes more.
• Add the dandelion greens and toss and stir occasionally until wilted. Add the stock and pecorino rind, bring to a simmer, cover and cook until tender, 20–30 minutes. (Bigger greens will take longer to cook.) Season with salt and pepper and then stir in the three tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil to balance the bitterness of the greens.
• While the dandelion greens are cooking, prepare a medium fire in a charcoal or gas grill or preheat a stove-top grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill the baguette slices, turning once, until etched with grill marks on both sides and crisp, about two minutes on each side. Remove from the heat and rub one side of each slice with the whole lemon, releasing the natural oils of the zest to flavour the bread.
• To serve, place each baguette slice in an individual bowl. Place the dandelion greens over the bread, dividing evenly, and then ladle the liquid over the top (the liquid is the best part). Using a vegetable peeler, shave a few pecorino curls over the top and then drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil. Grind a little pepper over each bowl and serve right away.

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