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Salsify

Salsify, which is the root of a plant sometimes called the "Oyster Plant" and "Purple Goat's Beard," is excellent when cooked. It is not so generally known as it deserves to be. It is understood to possess stimulating properties. It may be cooked in various ways: it may be boiled and served with white maitre d'hotel, Dutch, onion, or Italian sauce; or it may be fried in batter, or stewed or scalloped, or made into croquettes. When fried, the salsifies are often served round boiled fish, and rather resemble fried smelts in taste. The only inconvenience attending the use of salsify is that it requires to be boiled for at least an hour to make it tender, and to remove a certain bitter flavour which appertains to it unboiled. The leaves of the plant ought to be fresh, and the roots firm and black. To prepare the roots for dressing, cut off the ends of each, and scrape off the outer rind till the flesh is reached, which somewhat resembles the parsnip in colour and appearance. Rub them with lemon-juice or vinegar, and throw them into cold water until they are to be dressed. They will be better for lying in this for an hour or two, and will impart to the water a tinge of reddish-brown. Exposure to the air in scraping or after boiling makes them turn black. The remains of salsify which has been boiled one day may be fried the next. Salsify roots, if left in the ground, will in the spring send up stout green shoots, which will be found excellent boiled. They are to be eaten like asparagus.