scorzonera gratin – Schwarzwurzelgratin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you are an afficionado of white asparagus, then by now you are already aching quite badly for the next asparagus season to come around since mid-spring is months away, so absolute agony (remember Cartman wanting a Wii, pacing up & down in front of the shop while trying to summon the day to arrive: “Come on, come ooon” ?). There is a remedy though and winter bestows upon us many marvellous things like snow, Christmas and …scorzonera.

A scorzonera is a root of many names: black or Spanish salsify, winter asparagus, oyster vegetable etc. and its delicate, subtly sweet taste is best described as a mixture of all these exquisite things. It is a member of the sunflower family (Asteraceae) and grows really well (up to 1 metre or over 3 feet) in loose, sandy soil. The almost primeval appearance of the thin, sandy black roots belies a fine ivory-coloured flesh, which has to be preserved by plunging them immediately after peeling in an acidic bath. Best to wear disposable gloves for the whole procedure since the milky sap is extremely sticky.

Quite an old, native (Southern) European vegetable – documented to be grown in a Swiss garden in the first half of 16^th century – the name Spanish scorzonera denominates not only its origins from the Iberian pensinsula but also alludes to the black root’s medieval purpose as an efficacious cure for snake bites (the plants name meaning black viper in most Romance languages). Today it is more cherished for its nutritious benefits & as a delicious winter vegetable.

While the black roots have experienced a Renaissance in some countries after decades of neglect in the abyss of uncool & outmoded, Schwarzwurzeln, as they are known in my native Germany, luckily never went out of style here. They are available both fresh and in jars and are mostly served boiled with a béchamel sauce (also the recommended treatment for salsify by Mrs Beeton).

To whom this sounds quite old-fashioned and well, beige, should seriously consider having them in a GRATIN, which in my book brings out all those sweet asparagus & delicate oyster flavours. The slightly lemony sauce is seriously addictive and a golden cheddar-panko breadcrumb crust adds a crunchy texture. A winner over the unicoloured beige on all fronts.

 

 

Can’t help  day-dreaming about those cookies in the header picture? Me neither. I know, I swore not to make the Sauerrahmplätzchen (sour cream cookies with a plum butter filling) this year but … they were really, really that good. Being a little late regarding all things Christmas, my cousin and I have just started the Christmas baking with the children on Saturday with these and Swedish Gingerbread aka Mormor Larssons Pepparkakor (on its way).

 

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Scorzonera gratin

Serves 4, adpated from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s River Cottage. Winter’s on the way

 

1kg (a little over 2 lbs.) scorzonera roots
juice of 2 lemons
500ml (2 cups) of water
1 litre (1 quart) chicken stock or vegetable stock
200ml (1 cup minus 2 tbsp.) white wine like a slightly acidic Riesling
30g (2 tbsp.) butter at room temperature + butter for the gratin dish
30g (4 tbsp.) flour
100-150ml (½ cup) cream (whipping cream or heavy cream)
75g / ¾ cup cheddar, coarsely grated
panko breadcrumbs to taste (I scatter a generous handful about 50g or ½ cup)
salt & white pepper
Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400° F. Butter a shallow ovenproof dish.

Prepare a lemon-water bath for the peeled scorzonera roots and get your utensils ready: newspaper for the peels and sand, vegetable knife and peeler. Don disposable rubber gloves and peel the black skin with a vegetable peeler, quickly cut each peeled root into 8-10cm (3¼-4 inches) long pieces and quarter them lenghtwise before plunging them immediately into the acidic water to prevent the ivory flesh from discolouring.

In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock together with the white wine and therein simmer the drained scorzonera pieces for 5 minutes until tender but still crisp. Remove them from the saucepan with a slotted spoon to the gratin dish and reduce the winey stock to half of its volume.

Make a beurre manié to thicken the stock by kneading butter and flour together and whisk bit by bit into the hot, reduced stock. Continue simmering & whisking until the sauce has thickened slightly, reached the consistency akin to cream. Take off the heat and stir in the cream, season with salt & freshly ground white pepper. Pour the white sauce over the blanched scorzonera until just covered (keep the rest for later, it tastes lovely on its own) and sprinkle with cheddar and panko breadcrumbs. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the scorzonera gratin has a golden crust.

 

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Schwarzwurzelgratin

4 Portionen, adpatiert von Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstalls River Cottage. Winter’s on the way.

 

1kg Schwarzwurzeln
Saft von 2 Zitronen
500ml Wasser
1 l Hühnerbrühe (oder Gemüsebrühe)
200ml Weißwein (ich nehme einen frischen, leicht säuerlichen Riesling)
30g (2 EL) zimmerwarme Butter + Butter für die Form
30g (4 EL) Mehl
100-150ml Sahne
75g Cheddar (bitte gelben Cheddar und nicht orangefarbenen, alternativ ein guter mittelalter Gouda), grob geraspelt
eine Handvoll (ca. 50g) Panko Brotkrumen (= japanische knusprige weiße Semmelbrösel, kein Paniermehl)
Salz & weißer Pfeffer

 

Backofen auf 200°C vorheizen und ein flache hitzebeständige Ofenform buttern.

Wasser und Zitronensaft mischen und alle Gerätschaften zum Schälen und Schneiden der Wurzeln bereitstellen: Zeitung für die Abfälle & Sand, kleines Messer und Sparschäler. Einmalhandschuhe anziehen und die schwarze Schale mit dem Schäler entfernen. Schnell die Wurzel in 8-10cm lange Stücke teilen, der Länge nach vierteln und sofort in das Zitronenwasser geben um Verfärbungen zu vermeiden.

In einem kleinen Top die Hühnerbrühe mit dem Wein erhitzne und darin die Schwarzwurzeln ca. 5 Minuten kochen bis sie weich sind aber noch Biß haben. Mit einer Schaumkelle aus der Brühe heben, abtropfen lassen und in die Gratinform geben; die aromatische Brühe auf die Hälfte einkochen.

Eine beurre manié herstellen in dem man die Butter und das Mehl verknetet und diese Stück für Stück in den köchelnden konzentrierten Hühnerfond mit dem Schneebesen einrührt bis er angedickt ist. Vom Herd nehmen, die Sahne hinzufügen und mit Salz und frisch gemahlenem weißen Pfeffer würzen. Über die Schwarzwurzeln gießen so dass diese gerade eben bedeckt sind und mit Cheddar oder anderem Käse und den Panko Semmelbröseln bestreuen. Für ca. 15-20 Minuten backen bis das Gratin eine schöne goldene Kruste bekommen hat.