2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Scorzonera is an unpretentious and cold-resistant biennial plant, the roots of which are popular in the cooking of Western European countries. The high inulin content of the vegetable makes it attractive to people with diabetes. Ease of growing, high frost resistance and healing properties of the plant are attracting more and more attention of Russian summer residents
What is scorzonera
The scorpion fruit is similar to our usual carrot, only its color is black. For this it is also called "Black Root", "Black Carrot". In addition, there are other names for the plant: sweet Spanish root, goat, goat.
The plant develops within two years, forming in the first year a rosette of leaves and a cylindrical root crop up to 30 centimeters long, dark brown outside and with white flesh inside. In the second year, yellow flowers bloom on flowering shoots in late May - early June, giving seeds, the germination of which lasts no longer than two years. Scorpion seeds are enclosed in a hard shell, therefore, before sowing, they are soaked in warm water or a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
Scorzonera is more common in the wild than as a cultivated vegetable in summer cottages. Of the existing cultivated varieties of plants, one can name such as: "Volcano", "Gigantic", "Ordinary", "Russian".
Growing
The high cold resistance of the plant allows sowing seeds in open ground in early spring or before winter. The soil must be loose. Seeds are planted to a depth of 3 centimeters, leaving up to 40 centimeters between rows. The soil is compacted after sowing.
The seedlings that appear after a couple of weeks are thinned out in the phase of 2-3 leaves, leaving 6-8 centimeters between them. In the future, the aisles are systematically loosened, weeds are removed and watered.
Harvesting is carried out in late autumn or early spring. The autumn harvest is dug out carefully so as not to damage the roots, since damage interferes with their storage. Storage conditions for scorzonera are similar to those for carrots. Sometimes roots are left in the soil for the winter, digging them up immediately after the snow melts. Such vegetables will diversify the spring vitamin table.
Nutritional value of scorzonera
Sweet and tender roots are well absorbed by the human body. They contain nitrogenous substances; Sahara; asparagine; inulin; levulin (also found in Jerusalem artichoke); potassium, calcium, phosphorus, lithium salts; vitamin C.
The young leaves of the plant are used in salads. Yellow flowers, reminiscent of yellow dandelions, are also used in salads. To some they resemble the smell of vanilla or chocolate, to others - the smell of walnuts.
Root vegetables are added as a seasoning to soups, omelets, dough; prepare side dishes and vegetable sauces from them for meat dishes; they are eaten as an independent dish, boiled in salted water, and then fried with breadcrumbs in butter. The cooked root vegetables taste like asparagus, which is why they are also called winter asparagus.
Scorzonera added to the jar when pickling vegetables will give them strength and mouth-watering crunch.
Dried and ground root vegetables replace coffee.
Medicinal properties
The high content of inulin in root vegetables makes them a therapeutic agent for people suffering from diabetes mellitus. Scorzonera also helps with rheumatism, gout, high blood pressure, liver diseases.
Asparagine, contained in the root vegetable, has a beneficial effect on the work of the heart, enhances the activity of the kidneys.
Biologically active substances help restore normal metabolism in the body, strengthen the immune system, weakened by urban stress.
During the Middle Ages, it was called "snake-snake", used as an antidote for the bites of vipers.
The use of scorzonera in Tibetan medicine increases the focus on its medicinal properties.
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