Tracy Norris
Recipes to start spring
Chicory – Healthy and bitter-tart
Chicory has a bitter, tart taste. The leaves are often eaten raw in salads. They can also be steamed or fried and served as a healthy side dish. However, do not use iron or aluminum pots and pans. These ensure that the chicory turns black. Chicory leaves are among the lowest in calories and fat but are still packed with nutrients. If the chicory tastes too bitter, you can put it in lukewarm water for a few minutes. This removes the healthy bitter substances from it, despite the idiosyncratic taste. These stimulate digestion and are considered to lower blood sugar and relieve pain. So if you primarily want to eat healthily, you can soften the bitter taste of chicory with other ingredients. Fruity or sweet flavors, such as chunks of tangerine or acacia honey, help mask bitterness in a healthy way.
Salsify
Black salsify tastes similar to asparagus but has a sweeter, slightly nutty aroma. Bright white flesh hides under the black skin. The root’s taste and appearance also gave it the nickname “winter asparagus”. In addition to the classic preparation as an accompaniment to pan-fried dishes with a “Hollandaise sauce”, the white sticks are also ideal for salads, soups, and gratins. Sliced and fried, salsify chips are also a delicious alternative to traditional potato chips. Wear gloves when peeling uncooked black salsify, as the juice will stain and leave sticky marks.
Speaking of traces: the vegetables are full of trace elements! Magnesium, potassium, iron, manganese – all of this is in the long rods. Although the root is low in vitamins, it is rich in fiber. The juice of the black salsify is said to have a calming effect on the nerves. So if you are stressed, you should put the root on your menu more often.
Topinambur – The potato alternative
The root vegetable Jerusalem artichoke is related to our common sunflower. The tubers themselves are reminiscent of ginger roots. The Jerusalem artichoke is well suited as an accompaniment to various dishes due to its sweet, nut-like taste. It is also called “diabetic potato” because it contains little starch but inulin, which has less of an impact on blood sugar levels. The tubers can be used in a variety of ways in the kitchen, similar to potatoes. Unlike potatoes, Jerusalem artichoke root can also be eaten raw, e.g. cut up into small pieces in a salad.
However, the tubers do not last very long after harvest. Even after the purchase, you should store the Jerusalem artichokes in the refrigerator at home. The roots will keep in the crisper for about a week. If you would like to freeze the Jerusalem artichoke, you should peel the roots and blanch them briefly in salt water. The tubers can then be stored in the freezer for a year.
Parsnip – The “deer carrot”
Once a staple, parsnips have largely been supplanted from the nation’s plates by the popular carrot. But parsnips are currently making a comeback – and rightly so! Because the flesh of the parsnip smells like carrots but has a spicier, very sweet aroma. Parsnips are easily confused with parsley root. That is not by accident. Botanically, the parsnip is a hybrid of parsley and carrot. Parsnips should be peeled and then washed. Incidentally, you don’t have to throw away the leftover peel; You can fry these and enjoy them as a flavorful snack.
The parsnip has an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effect due to the essential oils that give it its typical taste. The roots also contain vitamin C and some minerals. Parsnips can be used in the kitchen like carrots: in soups, a casserole or pan-fried as a side dish. But “parsnip fries” can also be conjured up in the oven. The roots also taste good raw; for example in a salad, peeled as a snack or grated with apples and carrots as raw vegetables.
