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Salsify and Scorzonera

Salsify and scorzonera are kissing cousins, often confused but virtually indistinguishable at heart. If you haven’t met either of them before, that’s hardly surprising. Although we have a long history of cultivating and growing them, they are no longer in vogue. I can’t remember the last time I spotted either in a greengrocery (they do still exist, you know), let alone a supermarket. To find them you will either have to grow them yourself, or head off in search of some extremely upmarket food emporium (I’m thinking Harrods, maybe) or an extremely classy greengrocer.

What you are looking for when you arrive are long, slender taproots – say around a foot long (that’s 33 cm) – almost invariably clad in a healthy dusting of earth. True salsify has off-white skin under the dirt, but most of the time what is sold as salsify is actually scorzonera, which has black skin. Since they taste much the same, I guess it doesn’t matter much whether the label is technically correct.

The taste of salsify/scorzonera is light and delicate, the texture smooth and tender. I adore them, but some people just find them bland. Each to his own. If you are a first timer with salsify, make a bit of a fuss about them and handle them with respect. Don’t expect fireworks, but do anticipate a genteel pleasure with a distinctly old-fashioned and rather soothing aura about it.

Practicalities

BUYING

The long roots of salsify (and from now on I’m using that to cover both salsify and scorzonera) should always be firm. Root droop and flabbiness means they are on their way out, fit only for the compost heap. Crying shame, really. Good, earthy, firm roots are the ones to bear home in triumph. Store them in a cool, dark, airy place (or the vegetable drawer of the fridge) for up to 4–5 days.

COOKING

To prepare them, begin by rinsing thoroughly. The skin, most likely black but possibly whitish, can be scrubbed off or peeled. Alternatively, you may prefer to blanch the salsify in their skins, then pull the skin off after cooking. My ma was a great one for the post-pan peeling session – it’s less wasteful and if you are going to reheat them later or use them in a composite dish, then it makes sense. Obviously if you are going to take them straight from the pan to the dinner table, then you will need to peel them before they are cooked. They oxidise fairly swiftly, so if you need to keep them hanging around after peeling, submerge them in cold water with the juice of ¹/₂ lemon.

In most instances, salsify are cut into convenient lengths and boiled or steamed before use. Keep an eye on them and drain as soon as they are tender and before they overcook to a soggy mush. Say 7–8 minutes in simmering water, though that will vary with thickness.

Serve them hot from the pan, with a knob of butter melting over them and perhaps a stippling of finely chopped parsley. Or, if you prefer, reheat them by frying in butter until lightly patched with brown.

PARTNERS

One of my childhood favourites was the chicken and salsify pie my mother made once in a while (substitute lightly cooked salsify for the Jerusalem artichokes in the pie on page 43), and indeed salsify works very well with chicken. And with cream. And with butter. And with anything gentle and soothing. It is not a vegetable that takes gleefully to big flavourings such as chilli, or garlic, or tomato, or anchovies and so on. They drown out the taste of the salsify itself.

Salsify can be excellent in salads, dressed while still warm with a classic vinaigrette, then married with milder green salad leaves (little gem, cos, mâche, spinach and the yellow heart of a frisée lettuce), beans (green or cannellini type), leeks, prawns or chicken or eggs.

If you have only a smallish amount of salsify, then one of the best ways of showing it off is to transform it into fritters to serve as a first course. Dip lengths of lightly cooked salsify into a light fritter batter or tempura batter, and deep–fry until crisp and golden brown. Serve instantly, with wedges of lemon.

Phil Vickery’s oil-braised salsify

This is how the chef Phil Vickery likes to cook salsify, braised gently to a tender richness in olive oil, then fried until the exterior is browned just before serving. It’s a distinctly restaurant technique (most of the cooking achieved in advance, requiring only a couple of minutes to finish), but one that adapts well to a home kitchen, especially when you are cooking for a dinner party and want to minimise last-minute kitchen shenanigans.

When Phil and I were talking vegetables, he also mentioned that this method works brilliantly with swede.

salsify

olive oil to cover

salt

Preheat the oven to 140°C/275°F/Gas 1. Scrub and peel the salsify. Cut into 10cm (4in) lengths. Place in an ovenproof dish that will take them in a close-fitting single layer – don’t use a dish that is way too big, or you’ll have to use way more oil.

Pour over enough oil to just cover the salsify. Slide into the oven and leave to braise gently for around 1 hour until tender. Leave to cool in the oil.

Just before serving, heat up a frying pan. Take the salsify out of the oil, drain well and fry briskly until browned here and there. Season with salt and serve immediately.

Salsify and flageolet salad

Salsify makes a fine salad all on its own, but I prefer it matched with other ingredients. Nothing too bold and intense, you understand. Pale green flageolets (if you use dried ones, soak 200g/7oz overnight, then simmer in unsalted water until tender; drain and dress while still hot), a few extra slender strips of grilled pepper, the sweet, tender leaves of a little gem lettuce. That’s much more like it. Try adding the thinnest slivers of Moroccan preserved lemon – delicatessens and some supermarkets sell them, but avoid the lemons preserved with chilli, which are too feisty for this. You will need just half of a normal-sized lemon, or an entire one if they are miniature lemons.

Serves 6

450–500g (1 lb-1 lb 2oz) salsify

2 tinned piquillo peppers, or 1 grilled and skinned red pepper, deseeded

1/2-1 preserved lemon (optional – see intro)

1 × 400g can cooked flageolet beans, drained and rinsed

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

leaves of 1 little gem lettuce

Dressing

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

a pinch of caster sugar

3–4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

Scrub and peel the salsify, then cut into 5 cm (2 in) lengths and simmer in salted water until tender, but not mushy. Drain thoroughly.

While they are cooking, make the dressing in the usual way. In other words, whisk the vinegar with the mustard, sugar, salt and pepper, then whisk in the oil a spoonful at a time. Taste and adjust the seasoning – it should be fairly sharp to balance the starchiness of the flageolets, and lift the delicate salsify.

As soon as the salsify is drained, but while it is still hot, toss in a little of the dressing and leave to cool down. Cut the pepper(s) into very thin strips. Scrape the inner flesh out of the preserved lemon, if using, and discard. Cut the peel into extremely thin strips and mix with the salsify, peppers, flageolets and parsley, adding the remaining dressing. Set aside. Just before serving toss in the little gem leaves. Serve at once.

Salsifis à l’estragon

This is a classic French way of dressing up any number of vegetables, but it seems particularly well suited to salsify. They embrace the cream with consummate ease, and the warm aniseed scent of the tarragon brings out the best in them. Very good served with a plain roast chicken.

Serves 4–6

600g (1 lb 5oz) salsify

15g (1/2 oz) unsalted butter

2 tablespoons dry vermouth

4 tablespoons crème fraîche

leaves from 1 sprig tarragon, chopped

salt

Scrub and peel the salsify, then cut into 10cm (4in) lengths and simmer in salted water until tender, but not mushy. Drain thoroughly. Melt the butter in a frying pan and when it is foaming add the salsify. Fry for 2–3 minutes until beginning to colour, then add the vermouth. Swirl around and bubble until it is virtually all evaporated. Now add the cream, tarragon and salt and let it all cook down for a few more minutes until the sauce has thickened enough to just coat the salsify lightly. Taste and adjust seasoning, then serve.

Salsifis au curry

As for salsifis à l’estragon, but replace the tarragon with a teaspoon (or two) of good curry paste – a soft korma paste is ideal. The idea is to give a mild hint of curry flavour, but not so much that it overwhelms the flavour of the salsify.