Last season we planted black salsify for the first time. From November onwards they are ready for harvesting, but as we still have stored and preserved vegetables from the garden in stock, they have so far remained somewhat unnoticed in the patch. The root vegetables, with their slightly nutty taste, are quite tasty and contain vitamins E, A and C as well as various B vitamins. Especially potassium but also magnesium, calcium and iron are found in them. It is worth taking a look!
Black salsifies release a milky juice that sticks and leaves brown stains. However, this does not make the preparation really complicated. For peeling, you should simply put on rubber gloves. It is also advisable to prepare a large bowl of water and a little vinegar so that the black salsifies do not turn brown after peeling.

Peel the black salsifies with a potato peeler and place them in a bowl with water and a little vinegar. Cut the root vegetables and the leek into pieces except for one root. Heat vegetable oil in a pot and sauté the vegetables in it. Pour in the vegetable stock and simmer covered for about 20 minutes at medium heat until the black salsifies are soft.

In the meantime, heat up in a pot about two fingers of vegetable oil to about 160 degrees. Cut the last salsify lengthwise into strips with a peeler and deep fry them in the hot fat until crispy. Let it drip off on a kitchen towel. Roast the walnuts in a pan without fat and crush them with your fingers.

Towards the end of the cooking time, add the cream to the soup and puree the soup to a creamy consistency with a blender. Garnish the black salsify soup with the fried black salsify, roasted walnuts and a little walnut oil.

FoR 3 Servings

1 kg black salsify

1/2 stick leek

1 l vegetable stock

150 ml cream

vegetable oil for deep-frying

1 handful walnuts

virgin walnut oil

salt