Salsify Black, Scorzonera Geante Noire De Russie

Black Salsify, Scorzonera Geante Noire De Russie​ Late plant. Dark brown roots grow to one foot long with a white, consistent and tasty flesh.   Scorzonera. Long tender roots with very fine texture. Really nice taste. Stores well. A very underappreciated vegetable. 120 days. Grow like parsnip. sow 1/2" deep, and 4" apart, in spring, two weeks before last frost. Slow to germinate, up to 3 weeks, so keep moist during that time. Loose, rock-free soil is best. Roots are peeled and eaten. Tops can be eaten as greens, or forced in the dark, as some of the radicchios and chicories. 5 gram packet

Salsify root is small to medium in size and is long and slender, tapering slightly to a small point opposite the stem end, similar in shape to a parsnip. There are two different plants known as Salsify, with the White Salsify being long and hairy with brown to tan skin, and the smoother, Black Salsify having dark brown, nearly black skin with a more uniform shape and a few hairs or side roots. The flesh beneath the thick skin for both is cream-colored, dense, and firm. Even though they slightly differ in texture with the Black Salsify being less fibrous, both White and Black Salsify are very mild and subtly-flavored with hints of licorice, umami, artichoke.

Salsify is best suited for cooked applications such as boiling, roasting, sautéing, steaming, frying, and baking. Before cooking, the skin should be peeled and to preserve the color of the white flesh, the root can be submerged in water with lemon juiceor vinegar. Both types of Salsify are most often steamed, pureed, and added to soups or stews as a thickener or served as a puree with chicken or other meat dishes. They are also commonly sautéed with butter to create a rich and creamy side dish. Salsify is extremely versatile and can be sliced and made into a gluten-free pasta, grated and roasted into cakes, coated in egg-flour batter and fried, or sliced into coins for gratins. Young Salsify can also be eaten raw, sliced thinly in salads or chopped fiely to add texture to a dish. Salsify greens are also edible and are sautéed and consumed like a vegetable. Salsify pairs well with meat such as deer, beef, poultry, and fish, garlic, onion, celery, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, white wine, lemon, and butter. Salsify will keep up to one week when stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator.