Salade de Pissenlits (Dandelion Salad)

In France this salad, popular at Easter, is made with wild dandelions, collected early in the morning. Hard-boiled eggs gathered in Easter-egg hunts are used as the garnish. Cultivated dandelion leaves, now widely available, make it easier.

2 large bunches dandelion greens, washed
1 tablespoon white wine
1 tablespoon oil
salt and pepper to taste
8 slices smoked thick-cut bacon
1 tablespoon cider or white wine vinegar
2 chopped hard-boiled eggs
Supermarket dandelions are usually 9–10 inches long, so you will need to cut off the coarse stems and then cut the leaves in half to make them manageable. In a salad bowl, mix the wine and oil with salt and pepper to taste. Put the dandelions on top and toss. Broil the bacon slices; then cut them into 1-inch pieces and scatter these over the dandelions. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat; let it get hot, then add the vinegar, and immediately pour it over the salad. Toss, then sprinkle with the eggs. Serves 4–6.