Meadow Salsify Uses | Slide Mouse
Young shoots and roots of meadow salsify can be used in diabetic salads.
Meadow salsify uses. Meadow salsify is a good remedy for the liver and gall bladder it has a detoxifying effect and may stimulate the appetite and digestion. For this purpose when milky juice is released from the torn stems it is collected on the walls of a glass and dried. Put freshly peeled salsify into a solution of water and lemon juice to stop it browning. It has a high inulin content that makes it a useful food for diabetics since inulin is a nutrient made of fructose rather than glucose and therefore it does not raise blood sugar levels.
Another dandelion type plant with yellow flowers and fluffy round seed heads but the leaves look more like grass. Native to eurasia and northern africa western salsify was commonly used as a food plant in northern europe in the middle ages and subsequently spread all around the world. Some chefs cook the vegetable in a mixture of milk and water for a richer flavour. Purple salsify is a root vegetable popularly called the oyster plant belonging to the asteraceae family.
A poultice of the mashed root was used for bee stings the root tea was used for excess urination gonorrhea stomach pain diarrhea fevers internal bleeding and to retard stay bleeding after childbirth and as a wash for rheumatic joints. It was brought to north america by early settlers as a food plant and ornamental around the turn of the 20th century. Salsify can be boiled mashed or fried like a potato and it makes a yummy addition to soups and stews. They are often blanched before use.
Edible uses the roots of meadow salsify can be eaten raw or cooked. Salsify is the name given to two breeds of vegetable with the most common salsify consumed in most parts of the world being the black salsify. Young leaves and shoots has been used for food as well raw or cooked. In armenia rural kids make bubble gum from the juice of meadow salsify.
Salsify was very popular but fell out of popularity in the late 19th century. The young shoots are best. Can be steamed like asparagus. The whole plant is edible root stem leaves and flower.
Gardening expert barbara damrosch recommendssimply peeling the roots steaming them for 15. They have a sweet flavor due to their inulin content. It can be cubed and added to soups and stews. Tragopogon dubius yellow salsify western salsify western goat s beard wild oysterplant yellow goat s beard goat s beard goatsbeard common salsify salsify is a species of salsify native to southern and central europe and western asia and found as far north and west as northern france although it has been reported from kashmir and india recent evidence suggests that specimens from.
Eat stems and leaves when they are still tender.