Any scorzonera growers here?

[Ilikepumpkins]

I sowed half a row this year, just because I liked the name. I pulled one up today and it had a nice long root, but it was very thin. Can I expect them to get any thicker, or should I cut my losses and harvest them now? Also, what do you do with them? Many thanks.

[dexterdoglancashire]

Hello ILP! Scorzonera is a great name isn't it? I can't even begin to pronounce it - had to copy the spelling out of a book!
According to HFW its best picked aug/sept, oct and november although you can still pick it december, january and february. It's a relative of salsify so guess you can treat it the same.
Looking at the pictures in the River Cottage Cookbook, it looks very similar to parsnips - and around the same size. According to HFW you can puree it, mash it or make a soup from it.

He suggests Salsify/Scorzonera gratin:

Wash and peel 1kg putting it in a bowl of water with lemon juice to stop it from discolouring. Cut it so that the pieces are roughly the same size. Putin a pan and cover with salted water bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes till tender.
Drain well, arrange in a dish, season, pour over 2 -3 tablespoons of double cream. Sprinkle over a handful of breadcrumbs and bake in an oven 200C for 20 minutes.
If you do make this dish I'd love to know how it tastes!
dexterdog

[Ilikepumpkins]

Thanks dexterdog (great name!)

In that case I will leave them a bit longer. If I peeled them at the minute I would have nothing left.

Thanks again.

[Snadger]

Fancied growing them myself, supposed to taste like oysters? That must mean they taste salty because an oyster doesn't stay in my mouth long enough to check the texture or get the taste, gulp and its gone!

[multiveg]

They are perennial and you could leave it to next year. The flowers are nice attracting goodie insects and "use the flower buds to flavour salads and stir-fries" DT Brown also says "boil, bake, fry, puree or serve au gratin with cheese and breadcrumbs" with regards to the roots.
OGC says "the small leaves can also be eaten in salads" and "Boil the roots and remove the outer skin" - my father would boil spuds first then remove the skin (for those that wanted them skinless!) so probably easier to cook first then peel.

[dexterdoglancashire]

Actually, HFW doesnt state whether he peeled them or not - if the skin is ok why not just scrub and then cook? dexterdog

[dexterdoglancashire]

Hi ILP - my name is actually after my pooch - hence the photos! dexterdog

[Teresa Sorokin]

Not sure if it's too late to join this thread, perhaps no one will read it now but for what it's worth I've also grown them this year and although the plants are large and healthy looking, I've had no flowers yet. Is that unusual or not? I've not pulled one up yet so I have idea what's lurking beneath the soil - if anything.
Teresa

[nick the grief]

I don't know if they are supposed to flower or not Teresa. I've never grown them myself.

I'd be tempted to lift one & see what it looks like I think. The only thing I know about them culinary is they discolour if you peel the skin of & leave them in the air (bit like an apple) - not much help really

[JazzDuke]

I believe scorzonera means scorched in Italian. I believe they get quite long but nowhere near as thick as carrots if that helps, e.g. more than 6 inches long but only about one inch thick and not tapered.

I tried salsify once and wasn't impressed but they are certainly a very trad old veg and I commend you for growing them.

[multiveg]

I think we preferred scorzonera to salsify. Scorzonera we've grown and forgot to harvest (or roots that have "pronged" and therefore been missed) have flowered in the second year. Will have a look to see if I have piccie which I will then post on my blog - probably tomorrow.
When digging, be careful - they ooze milky sap if broken. I am aware of some people having allergic reactions to parsnip sap - rashes etc, but don't know if scorzonera sap may have the same reaction.

[Don Vincenzo]

Hi to everybody!!
Scorzonera and salsify are biennal plants and will flower in the second year. They are quite similar to each other. Scorzonera in italian means black skinned. they are very easy to grow and although they can be a bit fiddle to prepare, the taste is quite good expecially combined with other root vegetables. You can leave them in the ground as perennials and they will grow year after year. You can use the flower heads before they open. The flowers are quite pretty, leave them to seed and leave to mother nature the rest, you will find them growing wild in your garden or allotment and your neighbours as well. Yes I do grow them together with other wild edible plants such as seakale and wild radishes ( a cross between the various brassica family )
Regards
Don Vincenzo

[k.chambers]

What are they? They have a nice name. I'm only twelve but i enjoy growing plants.

[Lesley Jay]

They are root vegetables Kayleigh. They grow like carrots and parsnips and look very similar. One has a cream coloured skin and the other is black.

[k.chambers]

Thank you Lesley!