Nadine Abensur's braised salsify

Salsify is a strange vegetable, a bit like celeriac.  I've seen it on sale among the bonnet peppers and baby aubergine of the halal groucer, but have never known how to cook it.  Salsify is itself the name of the genus, the most widely cultivated version of the plant is Tragopogon porrifolius.  It has a lovely purple flower, for which it was originally grown in the UK in the 16th century, but latterly cultivated for its root as well.

Salsify, image courtesy of Wikipedia

The root is reputed to taste of oysters (and an alternative name of the plant is oyster plant, apparently).  It sounds very interesting, and Nadine Abensur has a recipe for braise salsify with lemon and garlic in her book "Secrets from A Vegetarian Kitchen".  I'll let you know how it works ...


Nadine Abensur's Braised Salsify

3 lemons

450g salsify

200ml water

50ml olive oil

2 garlic cloves, finely sliced

1 tsp finely chopped freshly chopped fresh parsley

Have 2 lemons and cut the remaining lemon into quarters.  Scrape the peel from the salsify, rub each with a lemon laf and immerse in cold water, with a little lemon juice to stop it from blackening.  Cut into managemable lengths, and place in a saucepan with the water, olive oil, garlic and lemon quarters.  Bring to the boil and then simmer gentle for 40-45 minutes until the water has evabporated and the salsifty is soft, and frying to a pale golden brown on some of its sides.  Dust with finely chopped parstly to serve.


Salsify image along with more information, from BBC Good food website