The first time I saw burdock I was amazed. The entire roots were intact, most of them at least four feet long. I didn’t really develop an appreciation for them until I dug one myself though. Not only is the taproot difficult to unearth, it’s also supported by little ancillary roots that come off of the side, so getting them to come out is no small feat. If you don’t want to go dig up a burdock, you can easily use gobo, which is available in Asian grocery stores. Salsify and scorzanera work great like this too, but you will probably have to grow them yourself or know an intrepid farmer.
This recipe is probably the one that I am most pleased with as far as burdock goes. It has danced around on the menu becoming every thing from a relish on fish, to a garnish for charcuterie, to a soup topping. A couple weeks ago, a lady in China sent me a recipe for pork rib/burdock soup which I’ll have to make. The relish is great all by itself though, and is a way to showcase these funky roots. In addition, since the wine preserves it, it keeps for a long time in the fridge, almost like a pickle.
If you like artichokes, you are going to love this recipe. Essentially this is a modified version of vegetables “a la Greque”, meaning cooked in the Greek style. Vegetables are cooked in wine, and oil, the acidity of the wine functions as a preservative by lowering the p.h., as well as adding a little acidic flavor, making it a perfect compliment to fish or chicken. You can do all kinds of stuff with this relish, the cooking method is just a way to preserve it for future use.
- Hot or cold, the relish can be used as a garnish for fish, chicken or pork
- Warm the relish and toss with some greens for a quick salad
- Instead of dicing the relish, mince it and mix into mayonnaise for a special dressing or dip
- You could easily reduce the relish with some meat or vegetable stock, whisk in a tbsp or two of butter, and create a sauce
- The relish is a great accompaniment to a plate of cured meat and cheese
- Warm the relish with some tomatoes and toss with a pasta shape like penne, rigatoni, or farfalle
Burdock Relish
Ingredients
- 8 oz burdock/gobo root peeled and diced 1/4 inch
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 fresh bay leaf you can substitute dried
- 1 by 1 inch slice of lemon zest
- 1 tbsp shallot diced 1/4 inch
- 1 tbsp flavorful oil like extra virgin olive oil or sunflower
- 1 Tsp garlic de-germed and minced
- Juice of one lemon
- 1 Tbsp fresh sliced fresh herbs like chives, parsley, tarragon or chervil, or a combination
Instructions
- Season the diced shallot and minced garlic with the sugar, a dash of lemon juice and a pinch of salt in a small bowl and allow this to macerate while you cook the burdock to remove the raw, hot flavor.
- Peel the burdock, then dip in water seasoned with lemon juice to prevent oxidization.
- It should have the texture similar to an artichoke--soft and yielding, yet still al dente. If there is still some liquid left in the pan when the burdock is soft, that's ok, just add it to the relish when it's complete.
- When the roots are scrubbed of their skin, dice them into 1/4 inch squares, then place them in a pan with the water, wine, salt, bay leaf and lemon. Bring this mixture to a boil and then turn the heat down to a simmer and cook, covered, for 30 minutes, or until the burdock is tender and soft, but not mushy.
- Cool the burdock, remove the bay leaf and lemon zest, and then combine with the macerated shallot, garlic, oil, and lemon. Add another dash of lemon juice to taste if you like.
- Allow the relish to marry, covered in a container in the fridge for a day or two, it will get better as time goes on.
- Before serving add the chives or other herbs
Foraged wild burdock actually has shorter, stubbier roots… it’s the lovely Asian varieties of “gobo” burdock which are long and lovely like that. And, salsify is not the same plant — not at all. This article confuses me, making me feel very cautious about the botanical credentials of the author. Nonetheless, the recipe is interesting. I’d use Gobo from the farmer’s market probably.
Hi Kris! You’re correct that gobo has a long root, and burdock a shorter one. You’re correct as well in pointing out as well that salsify is not the same plant, or in the same family. However, I cook with all of these roots, as well as scorzanera, (my personal favorite since it is the most tender) For culinary purposes, all of these roots should be cooked the same way: each root must be scrubbed or peeled and then placed in acidulated water to prevent discoloring, they also must be cooked for extended periods of time to make them tender, if desired. To insinuate that these roots cannot be cooked similarly is like saying you couldn’t convert a recipe for cauliflower to broccoli, or a recipe for blueberries to aronia berries.
As far as my credentials regarding wild food, I was, and still am a member of the wild mushroom advisory committee, which advises the State of Minnesota Department of Health, and Department of Agriculture on foraging law language. Here is a link. http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/food/code/2009revision/mushroom/
I can understand how this could have seemed confusing though, so I added some clarification to the root descriptions. without your comment this post probably would have stayed a bit vague! Happy hunting.