pleasantly moist, crunchy, and sweet when
raw, and becomes soft and sweet after brief
cooking. When cooked for 12–24 hours at a
low temperature, around 200ºF/93ºC,
sunchoke carbohydrates are largely converted
to digestible fructose, and the flesh becomes
sweet and translucently brown, like a
vegetable aspic.
Salsify (Tragopogon porrifolius),
sometimes called “oyster plant” for the
supposed flavor resemblance, and black
salsify or scorzonera (Scorzonera hispanica)
are Mediterranean natives. Their Eurasian
relative burdock (Arctium lappa) is most
appreciated in Japan as gobo. All three of
these elongated taproots become undesirably
fibrous with size and age, are rich in phenolic
compounds (those in gobo are potent
antioxidants), and therefore readily turn
grayish-brown — at the surface when cut and
peeled, throughout when cooked.
Other Common Roots and Tubers