Black salsify

Wear gloves if you want to avoid its sticky, darkening sap, and scrub the roots under cold running water. Peel them with a vegetable peeler, then put each peeled root straight into water with a squeeze of lemon to stop it discolouring.

Simmer peeled roots in lightly salted water with lemon juice for about 15–20 minutes, until a knife slips in easily. Drain and serve with butter, or brown them in a pan; you can also roast peeled pieces at 200 °C until tender and golden.

Yes: peel it, slice it thinly and add it to a salad, keeping the slices in lemon water until you are ready to serve. Its mild, slightly sweet flavour is also good cooked, when the texture becomes tender.

Keep unpeeled roots in a cool, dark place or in the fridge, loosely wrapped so they do not dry out. Once peeled or cut, cover them with water and lemon juice in the fridge and use them promptly.

Its earthy sweetness pairs well with butter, lemon, parsley, nutmeg and creamy sauces. Serve it as a side with roast meat or fish, or use it in a gratin; black salsify with Hollandaise is a classic combination.

Yes. Peel and cook the two in much the same way, though black salsify has a dark skin and sticky sap that ordinary salsify lacks. Black salsify has 5 g of fibre per 100 g, compared with 1.7 g in salsify.

Yes. A 100 g portion provides 5 g of fibre, which makes it a useful vegetable to include in meals.