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Coy in the garden, salsify can be mistaken for grass when still young. But its hardiness and lack of pests makes it a wise choice for enthusiasts of curiosities. Not the highest-yielding plant but its taste, somewhere between hazelnut and parsnip, widely makes up for it. It's also a true sundial: as soon as the first lights of the sunrise appear, the flowers will open towards the sun, and will then follow it for the whole day, until it sets. It is from the same family as dandelions.
The roots are tender and do not have a hint of bitterness, as long as harvested before the flowering stem starts to grow. The leaves are also edible. When the flower buds start appearing, on the second year, it is possible to eat them just like with viper's grass.
Culinary uses:
-raw roots chopped for salads,
-cooked roots sliced (with white wine to avoid blackening),
-young leaves in a salad,
-cooked leaves as vegetables,
-raw flower buds in a salad, or cooked as vegetables.
Package: 25 seeds
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The roots have a very sweet taste, reminiscent of parsnip, and should be cooked. Savoured even at the royal table until the 17th Century, skirret then gradually fell out of favor. This decrease in popularity was probably due to the huge success of both carrots and beets, for which breeding brought spectacular improvements. Regardless, for permaculture gardens, skirrets remain a must. Easy to grow, its roots' soft white flesh will surely make it popular again.
Package: 30 seeds
* Must go through stratification in the fridge, please see the details below
Here's recipe from 1460:
"Take skirrets, parsnips and apples, and parboil them. Make a batter of flour and eggs. Cast ale, saffron and salt into it. Wet them in the batter and fry them in oil or in grease. Pour on almond milk and serve it forth."
— From John Russell, Boke of Nurture, c. 1460
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Scorzonera hispanica
Black salsify or Spanish salsify is a vegetable cultivated for its long black skinned taproot. The name Scorzonera derives from the Italian scorza (bark) and nera (black). As we might be able to guess from its yellow flowers, the plant belongs to the Asteraceae family.
Just like the root, the leaves are edible and so are the flowers before they open, like small broccolis. The white fleshed root may be harvested during the first or second year. To develop up its full potential, the plant needs to grow in a soil deep enough.
If you let it overwinter in the ground, even here in Quebec, the plant will produce flowers the following year. Once they are ripe, it will be time for you to harvest the seeds, but beware : birds, and especially goldfinch, love them!
Black salsify is rich in carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins.
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