If you can't beat em, then eat em. Dandelion Salad. Look for small tender dandelions in early spring before they bloom. If the yellow flowers are open, the greesn will havea bitter taste. Dig up the whole plant and remove it in one piece. Shake of excess dirt. Hold onto the root and dunk the plant up and down in a bucket of clean water many times. Clean thoroughly or the greens will taste gritty. Pull of the leaves and save them. Throw away the root and the flower bud. Boil the leaves until tender in a small amount of salted water. If the leaves taste bitter , change the water and boil them again. drain off the water and serve the greens hot with butter and salt or add a little vinegar and a few bacon bits.