CarolCooks2…Friday Food Reviews…#Edible Roots…Part 2…

 

Welcome to Friday Food Reviews, where I will cover a different food or product each week and look at… what they are.  where do they grow, what can we substitute them for in a recipe, and are they safe to eat, store, use, cook, or anything connected to that food? or product..all the why’s and the wherefores…it will, of course, be mainly my own opinion or a known fact…good or bad…there may even be a tried and tested recipe…or three… today I am looking at…Edible Roots…Part 2.

Foraging still applies to roots although I will ask that if you find an edible root that you enjoy please remember that the roots are the most crucial plant parts as they are structures responsible for providing water and minerals to plants from the soil.,,without roots, there will be no plant… of course you want to come back time and time again as will others please be considerate…

Also, be careful, and do your research before attempting to forage any of these wild roots.  Always consult multiple sources, and always be 100% sure of your ID before eating any wild plant…

Like I did with the aromatic leaves I will not be featuring common ones but maybe ones we throw away without realising that they are a source of flavour for our food, to eat and cook with or to make tea…my aim is to feature three roots per post one of which may be new to you…

Today I am featuring …

Parsley Root…

Often referred to as Hamburg root, parsley root is used in many European cuisines. Although closely related, it should not be confused with the more popular varieties of leafy green parsley that you might grow in your garden or use as a herb.

I have learnt something new I have not to my knowledge used or eaten parsley root..it looks very much like the parsnip to me but clearly not the same…although they’re both members of the Umbelliferae family, which also includes carrots, celery, parsley, chervil, fennel and celeriac, they taste quite different…This is a variety grown for its large taproot though, rather than its leaves (although its leaves are edible too). Confused? I am!

Parsnip is sweet…Parsley root is not its flavour is stronger and more aromatic…

Wasabi Roots…

Wasabi or Japanese horseradish as it’s otherwise known…pungent while being delicate it is a lovely accompaniment to raw fish…bright green its pungent heat quickly fades…most of the wasabi we eat is fake…Since the plant’s spice starts to decrease as soon as it hits the air, wasabi that has been grated and prepared in advance will be less spicy than a freshly grated wasabi root. This is also why most wasabi found in stores is fake—it’s easier to preserve the spice level when the plant is not involved…

Have you always noticed that you actually feel the spice through your nose almost more than you’ll feel it on your tongue? This is because much of the flavour and spiciness are released through fumes…

It seems like the tube of wasabi I have in my fridge is fake…It’s easy to tell the difference if you pay attention to your wasabi’s appearance and preparation. Fake wasabi paste looks like, well, a paste. Fresh wasabi tends to be grated on the spot, giving it a slightly looser appearance…which means those little packs of wasabi the come with your sushi are almost certain to be fake if you are eating sushi in a good restaurant and your wasabi is grated you have the real deal.

Water Lily Roots…

Many books and research will tell you that you can eat Water Lily Roots…I like this man as he is honest and conducts good experiments…He also makes a good point it may be edible but is it palatable?

The motto try it yourself after extensive research or make sure that the sources you use are honest and have conducted proper research…this is funny in parts it has a kid in it and a wife…

Thank you for joining me today I hope you have found this post interesting as always I look forward to your comments…my aim with these posts is to find roots that are truly edible as there may come a time when we may need to rely on foraged foods…for real!… Never say never!..x

 

32 thoughts on “CarolCooks2…Friday Food Reviews…#Edible Roots…Part 2…”

    1. CarolCooks2 Post author

      Hi, Robbie sadly I think you could be correct as there will be a mad scramble to stockpile and no thoughts as to what happens after that has been exhausted…Although I live in hope that schools etc will be teaching survival skills including foraging as I think it will at some point it will become a necessity and why wait until the horse has bolted…but sadly people will just think I am nuts…Both Aston and Lily go out and forage when they are in the village…they love it..it doesn’t hurt to know what you can eat if that is all there is…

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    1. CarolCooks2 Post author

      That is really good to hear, Michael…I have a recipe for worm bread and you wouldn’t know…I have also eaten SOME of the insects here..not all but they are all available everywhere its part of the diet here…Would I prefer roots..yes but I would rather try insects now than wait until I had to…x

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  5. Pingback: CarolCooks2 weekly roundup…16th- 22nd October 2022-Monday Musings, #British Egg Week , Health, Morbid Obesity, #Edible Roots…and Saturday Snippets where “Infinity” is my one word prompt. | Retired? No one told me!

      1. marianbeaman

        I don’t think we have the parsley tap root. I was probably confusing it with the turmeric root, which I grown in my herb garden. In fact, I wrote a blog post about using turmeric root, which I used in recipes for spaghetti sauce and trout.

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      2. CarolCooks2 Post author

        Its easy done, Marian there are so many edible roots… I also grow the turmeric root I haven’t used in spaghetti sauce though it sounds like a good idea I will check your post , Marian 😊

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  7. koolkosherkitchen

    I use parsley root in chicken soup and so did my grandmother and many other Jewish grandmothers. Some take it out when the soup is done. We slice it (and carrots as well), and serve it as part of the soup.

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  10. alexcraigie

    I love the genuine parsnips and I grow my own horseradish which must be a potent rival for wasabi – it’s best grated in the open air! Thanks for the information, Carol, and I agree that what we eat needs to be palatable! xx

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    1. CarolCooks2 Post author

      So do I, Trish but unfortunately they don’t grow here, occasionally someone brings some over for me my son is coming back November so he will bring some with him.. I think horseradish is a great sub for wasabi although I believe it is much hotter…and would probably overpower raw delicat fish hence wasabi…xx

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