36 THE BOOK OF RARER VEGETABLES 
easily grown. There is also a very good variety, the 
improved broad-leaved ; this is even better than the 
French, as it does not run to seed so quickly, but as the 
plant for use as a vegetable is not needed for summer 
supplies its seeding is not important. The plants are 
best raised from seed sown in April in rows i8 inches 
apart, 9 inches between the plants in the row. It likes a 
moist soil and should be sown very thinly and thinned 
early. The plants left in their growing quarters will last 
for years, but much finer leafage is secured by sowing 
annually, not allowing the old plants to seed. 
To Cook Dandelion Leaves 
An excellent dish may be made by taking equal 
quantities of young Dandelion leaves and Sorrel leaves, 
cutting them into slices, placing the Dandelion leaves in 
a stewpan with a minimum of boiling water and stewing 
them till tender, then adding the Sorrel leaves and boiling 
till the whole of the water is absorbed or evaporated, 
the vegetables being quite soft, stirring in some butter, 
pepper and salt, mixing all well together, and serving it 
either alone or with poached eggs. 
Or the Dandelion leaves, having been boiled for about 
half an hour, may be lifted out in a strainer, plunged into 
cold water, gently pressed till fairly dry, and then 
chopped fine. The chopped leaves should next be placed 
in a pan containing an ounce of butter, a dessert-spoonful 
of flour, a tablespoonful of stock, and a little pepper and 
salt, well blended together. This mixture should be 
heated and stirred for about ten minutes, when a table- 
spoonful of cream or rich sauce should be added and the 
whole served. 
