but what does it taste like??

[kiwirach]

i hope its ok to start a thread about what some vegetables taste like?!.

i plan to become fully self sufficient in veges within the next few years, but in order to keep it interesting i'm going to have to try a few things i've never eaten before, so i thought i'd see what you peeps had to say on the matter.

so what do the following taste like?......is there anything that comes close that can give me some idea? maybe also, whats a common way of serving it?

kale
celeriac
fennel(arent they aniseedy?)
globe artichokes
jerusalem artichokes
salsify
scorzonera
sorrel


TIA,
Rach.

[julesapple]

I Love Celeriac

Boil up peeled and chopped celeriac. Drain well. Puree with a sieve or handblender. Add cream and freshly ground black pepper. Serve with chicken. Chicken and creamed celeriac are a perfect combination.

It tastes like celery flavoured mash.

I have baked celeriac once. It tastes completely different, and I hated it. But maybe I did something wrong. The recipe was for potato & celeriac gratin. Just yucky.

It can taste bitter if not very fresh. Fresh celeriac is lovely sliced thinly in salads.

Jules

[shirlthegirl43]

My childhood memories of kale tell me that it tastes like strong (dark green) cabbage.

[kiwirach]

My childhood memories of kale tell me that it tastes like strong (dark green) cabbage.

heres hoping thats the general consensus Shirley....i was fearing it was going to be more like silverbeet.....*insert puking smillie*

[annacruachan]

Sorrel tastes of vinegar. When I was a kid growing up in the country we used to call them vinegar leaves and chew them on the way home from school. The cultivated version has bigger leaves than the wild. I use them in salads.

[Snadger]

Salsify is supposed to taste of oysters............I wouldn't know as I never chew mine!

[NOG]

fennel
is very aniseedy you can grill boil or grate it raw on salad.

globe artichokes
The best vegs. Cut the crowns and boil. Then serve with butter. Pull the leaves off and scrape the sweet bit off with your bottom teeth.....then eat the heart.

jerusalem artichokes
Boil, add to stews, make soups, make great chips.....great flavor....but make you fart like a cow.

[Lemon]

Salsify is supposed to taste of oysters............I wouldn't know as I never chew mine!

....the salsify or the oysters?! :P

................
jerusalem artichokes
Boil, add to stews, make soups, make great chips.....great flavor....but make you fart like a cow.

What on earth is that like? I guess Jersualem Artichokes are OFF the menu in your household then!!!


Fennel - is very aniseedy, can be served raw in salads thinly sliced. I tried some but found the flavour too strong and seemed to anaethesise my tongue!?!? If sliced and cooked it has a mellower flavour. Grab a sheet of foil, butter it, put thinly sliced fennel, onion, season, put a piece of white fish fillet on top, season again, dot with butter, add own choice of herbs and a few cherry toms and 2 tbsp water. Bring edges of foil to meet one another and fold the edges to seal. Bake in hot oven about 20 mins until fish is cooked.

[kiwirach]

Salsify is supposed to taste of oysters............I wouldn't know as I never chew mine!

thats off the list then......hate seafood!!

[coreopsis]

I love celeriac either,must try cooked one Jules as I eat mine as celeriac coleslaw-grated celeriac,grated apple and some mayo(not too much,just to keep it all together).Lovely

[bobleponge]

Salsify is a marshy growing plant naturally, in estuaries etc, so it does taste slightly "seafoody," but I luurrvvees it.
Kale, yup strong cabbage about fits the bill I reckon.
Fennel, quite like Pastis/Pernod, found it a touch strong when eaten raw but ok steamed.

[Two_Sheds]

kale best stir fried imo, lovely
celeriac lovely celery flavour, grated in salad or like mash
fennel I hate aniseed
globe artichokes too much fuss to eat, I don't bother
jerusalem artichokes yuk
salsify yuk
scorzonera too much faff by the time you've peeled one, not much left. It leaks latex too, and makes everything sticky
sorrel delicious like lemon (not vinegar imo) shredded in salad or stir fried

[kiwirach]

thanks for the responses......so far i'm leaning towards kale and maybe sorrel and celeriac. i dont like aniseed flavour, dont like seafood, and i'm not sure about the artichokes!.

[Hilary B]

I've only eaten Jerusalem Artichokes once. Didn't taste of much at all!
Globe artichokes taste nice, but awful fiddle! (but if you let the occasional flower develop, they are a lovely bright blue!)
Wild sorrel, was called 'sour leaves' where we lived then my Kids picked it (so did all the other kids around) and seemed to enjoy it. A pleasant sort of sourness.

[HayleyB]

Kale, is like good savoy cabbage, lovely quick fried in butter. Red you can also shred and fry it to make Chinese 'seaweed'