These creamy-tangy potatoes are inspired by Mark Bittman — a favorite food writer and regular in the NY Times. His recipe draws on the Italian tradition, mashing potatoes with olive oil and assertive dandelion. In Ireland the dish would be loaded with butter, cream and kale and called Colcannon (another classic — you can’t go wrong with potato in the mix). I’ve add sautéed onion and tossed the greens into the pan with the aromatics to deepen the flavors. Try throwing some cubed turnips into the pot if you have them.

If you’ve ever had the opportunity to eat dandelion greens, you know that they can be bitter. For those of us raised in households where boiled, buttered vegetables were the norm, dandelion may be pushing the envelope. Blanching the leaves before sautéing helps to mellow the bite. The surprise in these mashed spuds is that somehow the starchy richness of the potatoes is the perfect counterpoint to the kicky leaves. They need each other. Try it — even kids have been known to request seconds. I’ve spied my daughters tucking reheated mounds into thermoses for school lunch. No health-conscious mother could witness that scene without a twinge of self-congratulatory pride.

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• 4 large starchy or all-purpose potatoes (about 2 pounds) peeled and cut into quarters
• Salt
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 3/4 pound dandelion or other greens, washed and trimmed of thick stems
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup homemade breadcrumbs (optional)

Method:

1. Put potatoes in a large, deep pot and cover them with cold water. Add a large pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Cook until soft but not falling apart, 15 to 30 minutes. Reserve some cooking liquid, then remove potatoes with a slotted spoon; meanwhile, reheat water in the pot, add greens and cook for 30 seconds or so. Rinse under cold water. Drain well, then chop.
2. Over medium heat sauté onions in a bit olive oil until very soft. Add the chopped greens and sauté for a few minutes. Be sure to stir frequently so mixture doesn’t brown. Remove from heat.
3. Run potatoes through a food mill or mash with a fork or potato masher, adding enough olive oil to moisten them well. Mash in the onion/greens mixture, adding more olive oil as needed. You can also add a bit of reserved potato cooking water to smooth out the potatoes, if you want to minimize the olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and lots of pepper.
4. The dish can be enjoyed as is, or if you like a crunchy crust on top, put mixture in an ovenproof dish and top with homemade breadcrumbs (about 1 cup should do it). Drizzle with more olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake at 400 degrees until breadcrumbs are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serve warm.