We have a weekly veg box from Riverford organics, and as well as the staples there is nearly always something more unusual. Last week our box arrive and beneath the other veg were some… some… some… I know what they are but what are they called?
They were long slender black roots, and I knew you had to peel them and put them in acidulated water to stop them discolouring and then cook them… but what on earth were they called? It was such a long time since I’d had any but remembered them being delicious… I seemed to remember having them with a peppery white sauce and they were sweet and nutty.
I knew what they weren’t, they weren’t Jerusalem artichokes… in the end I gave in and looked at the information sheet which had come with the box. Of course! They were salsify, or scorzone! They originate from southern Europe and the Celts believed they would ward off the plague and were effective against snake venom. They are supposed to taste like oysters but they didn’t seem to taste like that to me even though they were delicious!
Lois Elsden 
Never even heard of them before….
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They are very nice… you can eat them like you would asparagus. They have a very thick black skin which you have to take off and keep them in water with lemon juice in until you cook them otherwise they go brown.
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Do you know what vegetable wards off the evil eye? I think one of my ex wives put a curse on me!
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Apparently bay is what you need, that will protect you against spells and hexes
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As in bay leaves that I put in my spaghetti sauce?
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Yes those very same bay leaves… well not those ones they would be a bit sticky, but yes culinary bay leaves!
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