SALAD ROOTS

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

John Evelyn’s Discourse of Sallet reminds us of many salad roots long forgotten. He suggests chervil roots which should be boiled and eastern cold; much commended for Aged Persons. Sweet cicely was sometimes called chervil and as the annual chervil roots are so tiny it is likely he means sweet cicely root. And they are remarkably tasty. He reports that the young roots of daisy are frequently eaten by Spaniards and Italians from spring until June and that French country people eat the root of dandelion. The history lesson continues with and taw’s with this homely Sallet the Good – Wife Hecate entertained Theses. The ‘sallet’s ingredients included garlic, though he adds ‘to be sure, tis not for Ladies Palats, nor those who court them; a light tough is better supplied by the gentle roccombo’. He lists the roots of Goat’s beard (Tragopogon pratensis) and scozonera to be stewed and dressed for salads. Goat’s beard is the same family as salsify (Tragopogon porrifolius) which John Evelyn called viper – grass or salsify and stated it was a very sweet and pleasant sallet; being laid to soak out the bitterness, then peeled may be eaten raw, but best of all stewed with Marrow, spice, and wine. Marsh mallow root was boiled to soften it and then sliced and fried. He adds parsnip boiled, cooled and eaten with oil and vinegar and radish whole or sliced.