The market · Roots and tubers · France and the north-west, Northern and Central Europe, Southern Europe
Salsify
Long, thin roots with a nutty, artichoke-like taste. The black-skinned kind, scorzonera, is the one most often sold.
nutty · earthy · artichoke-like
Kinds
- Black salsify (scorzonera)
- Black skin, white flesh; the usual one.
- White salsify
- Tan, hairy roots; said to taste faintly of oyster.
Goes with
Knowing it
- Where to buy
- Specialist greengrocers and continental markets: firm and unbroken, not limp. Jarred, it's a supermarket staple in Belgium and the Netherlands.
- Worth knowing
- Peel under running water, wearing gloves — the roots weep a sticky latex — and drop them straight into water with lemon. Then glaze in butter, fry in batter, or braise next to a roast.
