Scorzonera – herbaceous plant genus Kozelets, family Asteraceae. This vegetable is also called “Spanish goat”, “black carrot”, “sweet root”. The rough, cylindrical root vegetable is usually colored black or Brown color(see photo). The stem of the plant reaches a height of up to 65 cm. The weight of the root crop is usually about 150 g. Scorzonera pulp white and quite juicy. Very often this vegetable is compared to asparagus, since the taste of these plants is very similar.

Scorzonera appeared in South-West Asia and Europe. Today this plant grows in many countries. In ancient times, scorzonera was used as an antidote for snake bites. When cleaning root vegetables, you need to wear gloves, as the plant juice has the ability to turn everything red.

Beneficial features

The main beneficial properties of scorzonera include the fact that it contains quite a lot of inulin, which is the main medicine for people with diabetes mellitus. This plant also contains asparagine, a substance that has a positive effect on the functioning of the heart and kidneys.

It is worth noting the rather low calorie content of these root vegetables, which makes it possible to use them during diets and in the dietary nutrition of sick people. In addition, it is recommended that obese people include this vegetable in their diet. In addition, scorzonera is quite easily absorbed by the body. In addition, root vegetables are useful for vitamin deficiency and atherosclerosis. It is recommended that people with anemia eat this vegetable regularly. These root vegetables have the ability to resist the development of rheumatism, gout and polyarthritis.

Use in cooking

Scorzonera is practically not used in its raw form, since its taste is similar to cabbage stalks. But sometimes it is still included in some summer salads. Only for this you need to soak the vegetable in salted water and grate it. In addition, root vegetables lend themselves to various heat treatment: boiled, stewed, fried and steamed.

This vegetable is used to prepare a huge variety of salads, soups, vinaigrettes and side dishes. Scorzonera goes perfectly with other root vegetables and vegetables. I also use this vegetable to make delicious and original sauces that complement both vegetable and meat dishes. Dishes that contain this root vegetable have a pleasant vanilla smell. In addition, scorzonera is great for canning and freezing, so you can reap the benefits of these root vegetables year-round.

In addition to the root vegetables themselves, you can use the young leaves of the plant for food, which perfectly complement the taste of various salads and pickles. Scorzonera can be dried, crushed and used as a seasoning.

Scorzonera benefits and treatment The benefits of scorzonera are due to a large number of biologically active substances. Root vegetables are widely used in folk medicine . For example, this plant is an excellent pain reliever, and is also recommended for use for gastrointestinal diseases . Scorzonera has the ability to stop the growth of tumors, and it also resists the occurrence of metastases

. Recent experiments have shown that root vegetables have the ability to remove radioactive elements from the body.

Harm of scorzonera and contraindications

Scorzonera can be harmful to people with individual intolerance. No other contraindications were found for this vegetable.

Please tell us about the scorzonera plant. They say that even Chernobyl victims were recommended to take it. But only two herbalists have I come across the name of this herb.

A. Molchanova, Tver region Scorzonera, kozelec, black root, black carrot, sweet root - tall perennial (up to 120 cm) with, smelling like vanilla. For some reason, it is not often cultivated in areas, but it is a unique plant. The substances included in its composition restore liver cells, and for many serious diseases of this organ, scorzonera is a real salvation! Scorzonera has been used for medicinal purposes for a very long time, and although it is considered almost an analogue of ginseng, for some reason it is not particularly popular in our country. The plant contains a lot of protein, biologically active substances, vitamins and minerals. Therefore, it is used to normalize metabolism and dietary nutrition in diseases of the digestive system, reduce blood sugar levels in diabetes, strengthen the immune system and quickly restore strength after illnesses and operations. Scorzonera is used in the treatment of hepatitis, cirrhosis, alcoholism, toxicosis of pregnancy, dysfunction of the liver and biliary tract, gout and many other diseases.

Externally, scorzonera root resembles long carrots, but black. The inside of the root is white, and when cut it releases milky juice. Scorzonera has excellent taste, but the milky juice should be removed from the plant before cooking. This is not difficult to do, you just need to scald them with boiling water so that the peel can be easily removed, and then soak for 2-3 hours in warm water.

Various dishes are prepared from scorzonera; it goes well with other vegetables, meat and fish. It tastes like cauliflower.

Sowing and care

Scorzonera is cultivated in our conditions as an annual, except for plants left to produce seeds that ripen in the second year. To grow it, you need humus-flavored, fertile sandy loam or loamy soil, which must be dug to a great depth, since the root of scorzonera is long and can reach a length of 35-40 centimeters. The plant does not like fresh organic matter; it is advisable to add it under the previous crop. By the way, scorzonera grows poorly even after some of its predecessors. Does not like ridges after tomatoes, celery, cabbage and carrots. Sow scorzonera in early spring or at the end of July. You can also sow before winter when persistent frosts occur. But it is possible to grow large root crops only with early sowing seeds - as soon as the soil dries out. When sown in summer, the root crops turn out to be small, but they overwinter well in the soil if they are well covered and reach their greatest weight the following year.

Scorzonera is a fairly cold-resistant and drought-resistant plant. Its seedlings tolerate long cold spells and slight spring frosts. And the seeds begin to germinate at a temperature of 5-6 degrees. Plant them in the soil to a depth of 1-2 centimeters. They take a long time to germinate, so you need to make sure that the seedlings are not drowned out by weeds. After the emergence of friendly shoots, the plants are thinned out, leaving at least ten centimeters between them. Caring for scorzonera is simple: weeding, watering, fertilizing mineral fertilizers, loosening the soil. During intensive growth plants can be fed with slurry diluted in a ratio of 1:5.

Scorzonera is dug up in late autumn, before frost, very carefully; if damaged, the roots are poorly stored. Store in a cool place, sprinkled with a little damp sand, which is constantly moistened during storage.

Scorzonera can overwinter in the garden, and in the spring the roots will be much more tender and tastier, but as soon as it shoots, the taste will immediately deteriorate.

Epilepsy

Mix dry crushed roots and leaves of scorzonera in equal quantities, pour 1 teaspoon with one glass of boiling water and simmer over low heat for 15-20 minutes. As soon as it cools down, strain and take one teaspoon 3 times a day. The course of treatment is 2-3 weeks, then take a two-week break, and you can repeat the treatment again. This decoction reduces the number and time of attacks.

Joint pain

Scald fresh or dry scorzonera leaves with boiling water and make a warm compress for 1-2 hours. You can do this procedure at night. The course of treatment is carried out until the condition improves.

Gout

Pour 1 tablespoon of crushed roots with one glass of boiling water, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 10-15 minutes. Leave overnight and strain. Take 1 tablespoon 3-4 times a day.

Toxicosis

Pour boiling water into a teapot with 1 teaspoon of crushed roots and a pinch of black tea, infuse and use as usual.

Diseases of the liver and biliary tract

Grind the dry scorzonera roots, pour 2 tablespoons with one liter of boiling water in a thermos and leave overnight. In the morning, strain, pour into a jar with a tight lid and put in the refrigerator. Take one teaspoon 3-4 times a day half an hour before meals. The course of treatment is three weeks, then take a week break and repeat the course again.

Weakness

After illness or surgery, wash 1 kg of carrots and scorzonera and, without cutting, pour three liters of boiling water. Simmer over low heat for five hours, strain and add water to the original volume. Take one glass 3 times a day half an hour before meals until the condition improves. You can add honey to taste.

Psoriasis

Scald the scorzonera root with boiling water, soak for two hours and peel. Grate one root and one small onion on a fine grater and squeeze out the juice. Fill the bath with water (36-37 degrees). Dissolve 1 kg of salt in it, preferably sea salt. Take a bath for twenty minutes. Get out of the bath and let your body dry without drying it with a towel. juice and let dry. Repeat the procedure after 1-2 days until the condition improves.

Urolithiasis disease

My aunt, seeing her friend’s suffering, advised her to mix half a glass of honey and scorciera juice, and then take one tablespoon before meals. Two weeks later the stone came out in the urine.

Scorzonera salad

From finely chopped leaves young plant and grated root they prepare a very tasty and healing salad, dressing it vegetable oil, sour cream or mayonnaise. Coarsely chopped scorzonera root should be soaked for half an hour in a weak saline solution, while frying the potatoes in a frying pan. When there are 5 minutes left until the potatoes are ready, add sunflower oil and soaked scorzonera root. The taste of the finished dish is no different from fried potatoes with mushrooms. And if you add a few drops of lemon juice to the fried scorzonera (not the potatoes) and sprinkle with parsley, the dish will turn out even tastier. But the most important thing is that all dishes prepared from scorzonera are medicinal, since this plant practically does not lose its properties when cooked.

But no matter how good scorzonera is, it’s still not worth abusing it. It has a mild laxative effect, and if you feel unwell, you should take a break from treatment or abandon it altogether. Use with extreme caution during pregnancy.

Ekaterina Zarudnaya,
Arhangelsk region
city ​​"Dachnaya" No. 14, 2014

Until recently, the amazing properties of scorzonera were completely unknown in our country. Knowledge about this culture came to us from China. Experts in Tibetan medicine, the lamas, reveal to few people the secret of the medicine called sacred. They were the first to tell about healing power Scorzonera was the veterinarian Luka Danilovich Simbirtsev, who lived for a long time in China and gained fame there among local residents unquestioned authority. Tibetan priests taught him many of the secrets of their medicine. He brought one of them, associated with black carrots, to Russia, where he used it in the treatment of his hopelessly ill son, demobilized from the army. The fragment penetrated the skull and touched vital nerve centers. And junior lieutenant Simbirtsev was, at best, doomed to become a lifelong invalid. He was treated for six months, but in vain. Nikolai Lukyanovich returned home with impaired coordination of movement and epileptic seizures. The doctors promised him two years of life, but no more. However, the father saved his 20-year-old son. With the help of weed, I literally pulled him out of the grave.

Description and medicinal properties

The herb is inconspicuous, like a carrot, and tastes like carrots. They have different names: scorzonera, kozelets, black root. This root has been considered a delicacy since the time of Alexander the Great. Specially prepared, it was served at the royal table.

There are about 80 types of this weed in our country. One of them, “tau sagyz,” became famous in the thirties as a rubber planter. Huge plantations were sown with it. But with the discovery of artificial rubber, interest in it disappeared. It never occurred to anyone that scorzonera could replace an entire pharmacy.

Scorzonera cells contain more than 40 percent protein rich in amino acids, a number of essential vitamins, and a lot of microelements.

But the most important thing is a large number of biologically active substances (inulin, levulin, asparagine, etc.). Thanks to which scorzonera has antitumor and radioprotective activity, it can be used in the diet of patients with diabetes mellitus, various diseases liver, high blood pressure, consumption of the plant leads to improved functioning of the heart and kidneys.

Conclusion of the Moscow Oncological Research Institute named after Herzen. It was there that preliminary tests of the scorzonera cell culture were carried out. It was given to patients with cancer of the esophagus and lungs as food additives, one teaspoon 3 times a day. Here’s what doctors write: “Feeling better, patients are more active. A break in use leads to an exacerbation of the disease. To make a final decision on the effectiveness of the drug, it is necessary to continue clinical trials on a larger number of patients.”

Growing scorzonera

Sow scorzonera in spring or late summer. Root vegetables from spring planting grow larger. Between the rows is 25-30 cm, between the lines - 60 cm. In the row after thinning the plants, 5 cm are left from germination to germination. The seeding depth is 2.5-3 cm. This is a biennial plant, in the first year it produces root crops, in the second - seeds. Scorzonera is demanding on soil fertility. The soil must have a deep arable layer. Its best predecessors are cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes and onions. Fresh fertilizers are not applied to this crop. Root vegetables are stored in damp sand.

Scorzonera photo

Scorzonera is quite easily absorbed by the body. In addition, root vegetables are useful for vitamin deficiency and atherosclerosis.

You can, of course, dig up burdock roots on the side of the road or force yourself to eat bitter dandelion roots. But I think it’s better to grow it on your own plot beautiful and very useful vegetable plant – Kozelets Spanish, or Scorzonera Spanish, which I want to talk about.

Two years ago, at a local market, I bought seeds of this amazing plant. I sowed them at a distance of 20 cm from each other at a depth of 1-1.5 cm between the trees in the garden. In the first year, a rosette of lanceolate, elongated leaves grew. I forgot to cover them for the winter, and the plants overwintered in very harsh conditions, since at the beginning of December the frost lasted for two weeks down to minus 15°C without snow. I thought that my “scorzonera” would disappear, but everything turned out okay.

In the summer, the rosettes grew and sent out flower shoots up to 1 m high. And since the garden is large, and there are not enough hands for everything, I did not approach them immediately, but only when the first flowers opened. The curtain of blooming scorzonera seemed to illuminate the area. Tall, bright yellow, like dandelions, they attracted the eye. And when I approached them, I realized that they also smell very good. It was hot, and the aroma of chocolates was in the air. In clear weather the flowers bloomed, but before rain and at night they closed. I am partial to fragrant flowers, so I wanted to learn as much as possible about this plant. But it was not there! I was able to obtain additional information about scorzonera only from a 1982 reference book on vegetable growing.

As it turns out, it has several other names - black root, sweet root, kozelets. Its spine is indeed black on the outside and white on the inside, and tastes sweet. Previously, it was grown as a vegetable root crop, but now this crop has been undeservedly forgotten, but in vain. It turns out that the root is rich in vitamins B and C, and contains calcium, iron, and phosphorus salts. It contains absolutely no fiber, starch or sucrose, but almost all of the dry matter consists of the polysaccharide inulin, which explains the sweetish taste. Energy value 100 g of roots is equal to zero. That is, in fact, scorzonera is a dietary product consisting entirely of digestible minerals, inulin and vitamins. There is no need to talk about how important such a product is in the diet of diabetics.

Inulin, unlike sugar and starch, is completely absorbed without increasing blood sugar levels. U healthy people such a product will simply improve immunity.

Scorzonera roots can be eaten fresh or prepared into a healthy dietary dish.

The recipe is very simple: the root, peeled from the black shell, is boiled in salted water and fried in breadcrumbs.

Roots should be dug up in the fall or spring after the first year of growing season. Dry seasoning is easy to prepare. The roots must be washed, peeled, finely chopped or grated. Place the crushed product in a thin layer on a baking sheet and leave in a warm place. Dry until it flows and moisture completely disappears. Then grind in a coffee grinder and use as needed.

It grows wild in southern Europe and Siberia. Scorzonera is cultivated as a vegetable plant in Europe and America. It is highly valued for the taste of its root vegetables and is considered a delicacy.

Scorzonera roots can be boiled, stewed and eaten raw. Can also be dried - this is a good addition to soups. The roots are especially tasty when boiled in salted water, poured with butter and sprinkled with breadcrumbs (the skin must be peeled). Raw, peeled and washed roots taste similar to young ones walnuts(when they have not yet freed themselves from the green pericarps).

Scorzonera is a cold-resistant and drought-resistant plant. Roots in the ground with deep snow cover can withstand frosts of more than 30 degrees, and seedlings can withstand prolonged cold spells and spring frosts. Seeds begin to germinate at a temperature of 4-5 degrees. In the first year, a rosette of lanceolate leaves and long, rough, fleshy roots of black or dark brown color are formed; in the second year, a stem up to 1 m high, flowers and seeds are formed. The root of scorzonera is taprooted, cylindrical, about 3-4 cm thick, the flesh is white, and exudes milky juice when cut.

The main beneficial properties of scorzonera include the fact that it contains quite a lot of inulin, which is the main medicine for people with diabetes. This plant also contains asparagine, a substance that has a positive effect on the functioning of the heart and kidneys.

It is worth noting the rather low calorie content of these root vegetables, which makes it possible to use them during diets and in the dietary nutrition of sick people. In addition, it is recommended that obese people include this vegetable in their diet. In addition, scorzonera is quite easily absorbed by the body. In addition, root vegetables useful for vitamin deficiency and atherosclerosis. It is recommended that people with anemia eat this vegetable regularly. This root has the ability to resist the development of rheumatism, gout and polyarthritis.

Use in cooking

It is used to prepare soups, salads, vinaigrettes, main courses, raw, fried and stewed. The root is boiled in salted water and cooked like cauliflower. It makes very tasty sauces for meat and vegetable dishes. Young leaves are used for salads (from autumn to spring), in pickling and canning cucumbers to give them crunch.

In its raw form, scorzonera is not very tasty and resembles a cabbage stalk. To consume the plant in this form, the roots should first be soaked in salt water and grated on a fine grater. Boiled scorzonera is an exquisite delicacy, like asparagus, which is why it is called “winter asparagus.” They also add it instead of chicory to coffee. The roots are very good after they are caught by frost.

In addition to the root vegetables themselves, you can use the young leaves of the plant for food, which perfectly complement the taste of various salads and pickles. Scorzonera can be dried, crushed and used as a seasoning.

Scorzonera benefits and treatment

The benefits of scorzonera are due to a large number of biologically active substances. Root vegetables are widely used in folk medicine. For example, this plant is an excellent pain reliever, as well as its It is recommended to use for gastrointestinal diseases. Using the root improves metabolism and heals the body. Recently, information has emerged that scorzonera helps remove radioactive elements from the body.

Growing

Scorzonera is a plant that is not demanding on agricultural technology. Very cold-resistant, can overwinter in the soil. In spring, its root crops are suitable for food and for seed purposes.

Scorzonera seeds are large, 15-20 mm long, about 1.5 mm thick, ribbed, grayish. Weight of 1000 seeds is 15-20 g. It is better to sow with fresh seeds (germination lasts 1-2 years). It is better to germinate them for 5-7 days at a temperature of 250C. After 10 days, the sprouted ones are selected and sown, the rest are washed and sprouted for another 5-7 days, then sown. The sowing pattern is 20x8-10 cm, the seeding depth is 2-3 cm.

Sowing can be done in three periods:

• in spring (from April to May) for cleaning in autumn;
• in summer (late July);
• before winter (in October) for spring harvesting and for obtaining seeds.

Root crops can be harvested after two months of growth, but for storage they are usually harvested in the middle - end of September when they reach a weight of 100-150 g. Moreover, root crops cannot be overexposed, otherwise they will become flabby.

When harvesting, root crops must be dug up and freed from the soil by hand so as not to be damaged. Only uninjured, healthy root crops are placed in boxes with sand. The sand is kept moist throughout the storage period.

If scorzonera roots are left in the ground for the winter, then in early spring shoots will begin to grow from them, which can be successfully used for food. In autumn, old leaves are cut short, at a distance of 1-3 cm from the soil surface. Then the rows are sprinkled with a 15 cm layer of earth. Therefore, shoots that begin to grow in the spring without access to light will be bleached (etiolated).

In April–May, the soil from the plants in the rows is raked away, exposing young shoots. By this time, their length is 10-15 cm. When forcing, you can do without hilling (and therefore bleaching). In this case, the shoots turn green and lose their taste. In June, overwintered plants throw out flower stalks. With the start of bolting, the taste of root vegetables deteriorates sharply. Scorzonera is a good honey plant. It blooms in the second year after planting; the flowers are yellow and smell like vanilla.

The inflorescence is a basket. As soon as the inflorescences look like a “fluffy” dandelion, they are picked and laid out in a ventilated room to dry and ripen, and then ground. Well-ripened seeds usually have a germination rate of 80-90% in the first year, and only 30-40% in the second year.

A few plants are enough to grow seeds. “Early ripening” plants that bore shoots in the first year should not be left for seeds.

SCORZONERA SOUP

Peel the root vegetables, cut into pieces and cook until soft in salted water or broth. Take half of them out, rub through a sieve and put back in the pan. Add parsley, yolk and a little sour cream. Before serving, add oil.

FRESH ROOT VEGETABLE SALAD

Wash the root vegetables of scorzonera and carrots (1:1), grate into strips on a coarse grater, sprinkle with lemon juice, salt, add herbs, season with vegetable oil, sour cream or mayonnaise if desired.

SCORZONERA MARINADE

700 g scorzonera, 250 ml vegetable broth, 3 tbsp. spoons of orange juice, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, 4 tbsp. tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons curry seasoning, a bunch of green onions, freshly ground white pepper.

Rinse the scorzonera thoroughly, place in a large saucepan with salted water and bring to a boil. If individual roots are too long for the pan, you can cut them in half. Choose roots of the same thickness as possible so that they are equally soft when finished. After the scorzonera has boiled, it must then be simmered over low heat until tender. Depending on the thickness of the roots, this may take from 5 to 10 minutes. Then drain the water and cool cold water and remove the peel. Place on a plate.

Add citrus juice, curry powder and olive oil to the vegetable broth. Pour this marinade over the scorzonera on a plate and leave to steep, covered, for three hours.

To serve, remove the scorzonera from the marinade, add salt, pepper and sprinkle green onions. We recommend baked potatoes as a side dish. published

Scorzonera among the people has unusual names: Spanish goat, black carrot, sweet root. These nicknames make it clear that the plant is a root vegetable. Many years ago, this product was very popular, and this crop especially grew actively in St. Petersburg. However today useful qualities Scorzonera is of interest only to nutritionists and doctors.

Scorzonera flowers

Components

Today, scorzonera has more than 170 species, which are cultivated mainly in Spain. The plant is almost always edible, but its medicinal properties determine the use of the product in medicine. And perhaps this is due to the diverse biochemical composition of the vegetable.

• For diabetics and rheumatism patients, a similar root is faithful assistant on the path to recovery thanks to the presence of inulin, glutamine and a special enzyme - inulase. The last component, by the way, belongs to the category of substances that can break down sucrose into fructose and glucose. In turn, inulin is considered a natural prebiotic. This component helps with gout, liver disease and hypertension.
• Scorzonera also contains an important substance – asparagine. This is a naturally occurring amino acid that controls the activity of the nervous system, kidneys and heart. The product also contains levulin, and drugs based on it are prescribed not only for diabetics, but also for patients with hyperglycemia.
• The black root also contains a lot of vitamins. Substances from group B, ascorbic acid, vitamins A, E, PP are presented. For this reason, scorzonera is often prescribed as a preventive measure for many diseases and to boost immunity. The vegetable is often used as a sedative and pain reliever.
• Some properties of the product are due to the presence of different mineral salts. The root contains copper, potassium, phosphorus, iron, manganese, calcium and zinc. Therefore, stable intake of scorzonera normalizes all metabolic processes, and also improves the condition of blood vessels and tissues. It is no coincidence that the vegetable is used in folk medicine to relieve seizures.
• Black root can be used in dietary nutrition and in case of minor digestive problems. The fact is that the pectin substances in scorzonera have a good cleansing effect, stabilize intestinal motility and even lower cholesterol. Natural fiber, which the product is so rich in, ensures easy and rapid absorption of all components. At the same time, the root vegetable is also delicate in taste, due to the presence of aldehydes, glucosides and tannins in the milky juice.

Efficiency

As part of complex therapy, scorzonera is most often recommended by doctors. This product will protect against many gastrointestinal diseases and heart problems. In addition, the vegetable acts as an excellent natural pain reliever. Medicinal properties The root vegetable exhibits resistance to polyarthritis and atherosclerosis. Due to its low calorie content, the product helps to cope with obesity, and can also be used for anemia. IN winter period black root is an excellent remedy for vitamin deficiency.

To maximize the benefits of vegetables, it is better to turn to the ancient people's councils, which have long proven themselves and have been tested by several generations.

• You can make a strong decoction based on the leaves of the black root. Its beneficial qualities are used during colds, epidemics and lung problems, when it is necessary to get rid of a cough, speed up the release of phlegm and alleviate the general condition. Today, the decoction is also used to heal abscesses and relieve itching after insect bites.
• The root vegetable allows you to cook and alcohol tincture. It can quickly heal wounds, burns and even trophic ulcers. Lotions can be applied to relieve attacks of radiculitis and rheumatism, as well as if a snake has bitten or a boil has appeared.
• Scorzonera is used as part of the treatment of various allergies, especially since the product itself is such side effects doesn't call. The vegetable treats thyroid problems, and if you are worried about diathesis, you can take a bath with a decoction of the leaves. If you make a liquid from the foliage and root system of scorzonera, you can treat epilepsy, since the product reduces the severity of convulsions and reduces the number of seizures.
• If an infusion is made with vodka, it must be kept in a dark place for a week. This preparation is suitable for rubbing the body, and if you combine the black root with kerosene and white lilac, you can make compresses to relieve pain.
• Simpler compresses are obtained when the leaves are boiled in boiling water and wrapped in gauze. Just 30 minutes of application to problem areas is enough, and beneficial features the plants will make themselves felt: joint activity is restored even with arthritis and improves the condition of broken bones.
• Root powder can relieve aching joints and speed up the removal of ulcers from the skin. To do this, the vegetable is crushed and combined with pork fat to form a viscous, sticky mass.

Scorzonera - black radish

Peculiarities

• The homeland of the black root is Southern Europe and Southwest Asia. Today the plant is found in most steppes and in Georgia and Azerbaijan. As vegetable crop The scorzonera herd was considered only in the 16th century. Previously, the product was part of drugs traditional healers. Due to its main purpose in this area, the black root has received the nickname “snakeweed”.
• This vegetable is grown in gardens under the same conditions as ordinary carrots. Sowing can be done in mid-summer, then next spring The harvest is ready. Black root is also called winter asparagus, because in winter this root vegetable is always available, while its taste quality They don't suffer at all.
• The product can be consumed both raw and boiled, the main thing is not to forget to remove the top dark layer. Sometimes novice housewives have a problem: the root crop quickly turns black after cleaning. To prevent this from happening, immerse the product in liquid with vinegar before cooking. In such water, the vegetable can even be put on fire.
• During the time of Alexander the Great, scorzonera was considered a delicacy. Today, the popularity of the product has decreased, and not everyone likes it raw, since it resembles a cabbage stalk. Therefore, fresh root vegetables must be soaked in salted water and finely grated. Fried, stewed and boiled vegetables do not require such processing, so they are immediately added to salads. Dried fruits should be added to soups.
• Black root goes very well with carrots, mayonnaise, lemon juice and vegetable oil, so the choice of main courses and side dishes is varied. You can even make sauces based on scorzonera. There is an opinion that boiled roots coated with crackers and butter are very tasty. The vegetable is added to omelettes, soufflés and dough. Sweet dishes with scorzonera are purchased pleasant aroma vanilla, so dry fruits often serve as a component of coffee substitutes and confectionery products.
• The beneficial properties of the root vegetable are fully preserved if the vegetable is properly frozen and canned. Young scorzonera leaves can be used in pickles to add extra crunch to cucumbers.
• Scorzonera has no serious contraindications, because its harm to human health is minimal. It is worth remembering only in cases of individual intolerance to the product. The plant also contains a poisonous alkaloid, cynoglossin. Because of this, black root leaves must be consumed with great caution.
• Some gardeners confuse black root with a similar black root. This is a very dangerous mistake, because the second plant, although it looks beautiful because of the blue and purple flowers, is very poisonous. It can be used in medicinal purposes, but only for external use. Black root should not be eaten, so be careful not to get poisoned.