Preparing black salsify: quick and easy recipes with the winter vegetables

In recent years, black salsify has grown in popularity and can be found more and more often at weekly markets and in supermarkets. They can also be found in the restaurant menus, for example as an ingredient in a salad or as an accompaniment to roasted food. No wonder, because the winter vegetables score with a complex taste and a long shelf life. We explain how you can prepare black salsify. Here are some recipe ideas for the winter season!

Preparing fresh salsify: How to peel the winter vegetables!

At first glance, the winter vegetables don’t look very appetizing – they have long sticks with a brown shell. Tasty looks different. But that changes after the shell is removed. The inside of the salsify looks confusingly similar to grilled asparagus. No wonder the salsify vegetable is called winter asparagus. But don’t be fooled, because black salsify and asparagus only have something in common when it comes to looks, they are very different in taste.

The salsify belong to the sunflower family. Her home country is Spain. As early as the third century, however, they found their way onto the plates of the Teutons and were bred by them. The plant can withstand cold, wind, rain and even snow without any problems, which is why it is still a popular winter vegetable for the home garden today.

Preparing black salsify: what are the health benefits of the vegetables?

Not only do salsify taste great, they also have many health benefits. They include, among other things:

• Potassium, an electrolyte that helps muscle and nerve cells function
• Magnesium, which supports the functioning of the heart
• Iron, a trace element that provides energy to the body’s cells
• Allantoin, an important active ingredient that moisturizes our skin and promotes wound healing
• Inulin, a prebiotic that nourishes the beneficial bacteria in our gastrointestinal tract

The salsify therefore have an anti-inflammatory and calming effect. However, they are rich in nitrates. Several drops of lemon juice will help neutralize the nitrates.

Salsify calories

Regardless of whether you want to create a balanced and healthy diet or strength training plan: You can add winter vegetables to the menu without hesitation. The salsify nutritional values ​​convince with a low number of calories. Despite their sweet taste, 100 grams of salsify vegetables contain only 17 calories, 2 grams of carbohydrates, and 0.4 grams of fat. How many calories the dish will have also depends on how you prepare the salsify. You can boil, fry or bake them in the oven.

Peel fresh salsify

Salsify is in season from late September to May and is mainly available in specialized health food stores. Fresh salsify can be recognized quickly because they have white flesh and are firm. If you don’t peel them then you can store them in a bucket filled with damp sand in a cool, dry place for up to three weeks. Peeled, cleaned and wrapped in kitchen paper, they can be stored in the vegetable drawer in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

However, peeling is a challenge for inexperienced hobby cooks, because winter vegetables contain a sap that escapes when peeled and discolors the skin. It is therefore important to peel fresh salsify properly and to wear gloves. You can peel the vegetables raw or cooked:

1. Cooked: clean the vegetables thoroughly under running water. Then put it in lukewarm water and add a teaspoon of sea salt and 5 to 10 drops of vinegar. Bring the water to a boil and after 2-3 minutes remove the saucepan from the stove. Peel the salsify and put them in a bowl with lukewarm vinegar water (water 500ml, vinegar 50 ml). This will prevent the peeled salsify from turning brown again.

2. Raw: Fill a bowl halfway with lukewarm water, add a little apple cider vinegar, wash the salsify under running lukewarm water and then place them in the bowl. After 10 minutes, you can skin the salsify without removing them from the water.

Boil salsify

You can cook the salsify with or without the shell. If you peel the salsify first, then put them in lukewarm water with 50 ml apple cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon sea salt and cook them until they soften (about 20 minutes). If you cook the salsify vegetables unpeeled, you can do a spot check after half an hour. If the vegetables are soft, they are done.

Fry salsify

If you want to fry the salsify, squeeze a medium-sized lemon and pour the lemon juice into a deep pan. Pour 4-5 tablespoons of cold water into the pan and peel the salsify under running water. Be sure to wear rubber gloves, otherwise the milky sap will color your skin profusely! Cut the vegetables into small pieces and add them to the water. Boil the salsify for 30 minutes, then pour off the water and add the vegetable oil of your choice to the pan. Fry the salsify for 5 minutes, then season with salt and pepper.

Recipe for black salsify salad with cream cheese, bacon and cabbage

Fresh salsify is the main ingredient in the next recipe. We explain how you can prepare a quick salsify salad with walnuts and tahini sauce. You need the following ingredients (preparation time 25 minutes, 142 calories per serving, ingredients for 6 servings):

• 700 g black salsify
• 300 g cabbage
• 100 g bacon
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 50 ml of cream cheese
• Parsley, fresh, finely chopped
• Pepper, freshly ground
• Juice of half a lemon

Preparation:

1. Wash the salsify.

2. Pour lukewarm water into a bowl and stir in the lemon juice.

3. Peel the salsify under running water and cut into 5 cm long pieces (make sure to wear rubber gloves!). Put the winter vegetables in the bowl with the lemon water. If you use salsify from the jar, this step can be omitted.

4. Place the vegetables on kitchen paper and let them drain. Pour cold water into a saucepan, bring the water to a boil over medium heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

5. Put the butter in a pan and heat it up, chop the bacon and fry it until golden brown.

6. Chop the cabbage and add it to the bacon. Add 100 ml of water.

7. Drain the cooked salsify and mix with the bacon and cabbage. Garnish with cream cheese or sauce of your choice.

Prepare salsify soup

A filling and delicious starter or even the main course on a winter evening: here comes the classic recipe for black salsify soup. These are the necessary ingredients for 6 servings:

• 500 g black salsify, washed and peeled
• 3 shallots, peeled
• 4 tbsp butter
• 300 ml of milk
• 1 L vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp vinegar
• Salt to taste
• pinch of sugar
• 100 g pumpkin meat, cooked

Preparation:

1. Wash the salsify as already described, peel them under running water and place in a bowl with vinegar water. It is essential to wear rubber gloves!

2. Chop the shallots. Put the butter in a deep pan, heat it and sauté the shallots in it. Remove the salsify from the vinegar water, drain and add to the shallots.

3. Add the vegetable stock, add salt, sugar and other spices to taste, add the shallots, the pumpkin and the salsify. Finely puree the soup with the hand mixer.

Salsify with meatballs

Salsify is also a popular garnish with meatballs. We explain how you can prepare the delicious main course. Here are the necessary ingredients for 6 servings:

• 1 kg and 500 g potatoes, peeled
• 900 g black salsify, either fresh and unpeeled or from the jar, drained weight
• 1 kg of minced meat
• 3 onions, chopped
• 450 ml of milk
• 3-4 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3 pinches of nutmeg

Preparation:

1. Put the onion and minced meat in a bowl and mix well. Shape it into meatballs and put them in a saucepan. Cover the meatballs with water. Bring the water to a boil and simmer the meatballs over medium heat until they are cooked through.

2. In the meantime, peel the potatoes and cut them into pieces, place in a deep saucepan and cover with water. Let cook for about 20 minutes.

3. Put the butter and flour in a deep pan, add the milk and let the sauce simmer until it thickens. Season to taste and remove from the stove.

4. Put on rubber gloves, wash the salsify under running water, peel and cut them into small pieces. Then put the vegetables in a saucepan, pour vinegar water over them and add 1 tablespoon of salt. Cook over medium heat for 30 minutes. Then take the salsify out of the pot and let them drain.

5. Serve the black salsify with the meatballs and the potatoes, pour the sauce over them.

Salsify recipe from the jar: As an accompaniment to mussels

Salsify from the jar can be used in a wide variety of dishes. Below is a recipe with mussels. These are the necessary ingredients:

• 200 g turbot, fillet
• 400 g mussels, cleaned
• 400 ml fish broth
• 100 ml white wine
• 100 g butter
• 65 g seaweed, soaked (follow the instructions on the package)
• 100 g black salsify from the jar (drained weight)

Prepare black salsify:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.

2. Put the olive oil in a deep pan and fry the turbot fillet briefly so that it turns golden brown. But the fillet shouldn’t be done.

3. Place the mussels in a deep saucepan, place the turbot fillet on top, pour the fish stock and white wine over them.

4. Cover and simmer the dish over medium heat until the mussels open and the fish fillet is cooked through. Remove the mussels and fish.

5. Put the seaweed in the white wine sauce and sauté with butter until soft. Also fry the salsify briefly in it.

6. Garnish the fish with the mussels, seaweed and black salsify and pour the white wine sauce over them.

You can also prepare the black salsify from the jar with a sauce. Simply put butter in a saucepan and gradually add a tablespoon of flour, stirring constantly. Remove the salsify from the glass and pour the salsify water into the pot. Put the cream and an egg yolk in a bowl and stir well. Then add to the sauce. Simmer over low heat until the sauce thickens. Serve the salsify with the sauce as an accompaniment to dishes with minced meat and potatoes.

Salsify is a delicious vegetable, but peeling is a bit problematic. If you want to save yourself the time-consuming work, you can use peeled black salsify from the jar.