Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Sturdy vegetable peeler
• •Large bowl for acidulated water
• •Medium saucepan (3-liter)
• •Kitchen gloves (recommended)

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the acidulated water

   Fill a large bowl with cold water and stir in the lemon juice and a splash of vinegar. This is your holding bath. Schwarzwurzel oxidizes the moment the flesh hits air, turning from creamy white to dishwater brown in under a minute. The acid stops that reaction cold. Have this bowl ready before you pick up the peeler.

   Wear kitchen gloves if you have them. The milky sap that bleeds from the cut salsify is sticky and stains. It washes off eventually, but your hands will look like you've been repairing bicycle tires.
2. 2

   Peel the salsify

   Scrub each root under running water to remove loose soil. Peel with a sturdy vegetable peeler, working from top to bottom in long strokes. The black skin comes off to reveal pale cream flesh underneath. Cut each peeled root into pieces about five centimeters long and drop them straight into the acidulated water. Don't let them sit on the board. Every second in the open air costs you color.

3. 3

   Simmer until tender

   Bring a pot of salted water to a gentle boil with another tablespoon of vinegar and the teaspoon of sugar. The vinegar keeps the pieces pale during cooking and the sugar rounds out any bitterness. Drain the salsify from its holding bath and slide the pieces into the pot. Reduce to a steady simmer. Cook for fifteen to twenty minutes, depending on thickness. Test with the tip of a knife: it should slide through with almost no resistance, like testing a boiled potato. You want tender, not firm, not mushy. Drain and spread the pieces on a plate to cool slightly.

   Don't boil aggressively. A hard boil batters the pieces and they'll start to break apart at the edges. Keep the surface of the water at a lazy simmer, just enough movement to see bubbles rising.
4. 4

   Make the Marinade

   While the salsify simmers, whisk together the sour cream, yogurt, vinegar, oil, mustard, salt, and white pepper in a bowl until smooth. The dressing should be pourable but not thin. Taste it. The vinegar should be forward and bright, the sour cream providing body without heaviness. The yogurt keeps it from feeling cloying. Adjust the salt and vinegar now, before it meets the salsify, because once dressed, the flavors set.

   Austrian Marinade for salads is always vinegar-forward. If you're used to heavy, oily dressings, this will taste sharp on its own. Trust it. That acidity is exactly what the mild, nutty salsify needs to come alive.
5. 5

   Dress while warm

   Toss the still-warm salsify pieces gently with the Marinade and the minced shallot. Warm vegetables absorb a dressing better than cold ones. This is the same principle behind every good Austrian salad, from Erdäpfelsalat to Fissolensalat. The warmth opens the surface of the salsify and lets the tangy dressing soak in rather than just sitting on top. Fold gently. The pieces are tender and will break if you handle them roughly.

6. 6

   Rest and serve

   Let the salad rest at room temperature for at least fifteen minutes so the flavors marry. Just before serving, scatter the chives generously across the top. Serve at room temperature, not fridge-cold. Cold kills the delicate nutty flavor of the salsify and mutes the dressing. This belongs on the table alongside bread and cold cuts, or as a side to a piece of roast pork. Mahlzeit!

Chef Tips

• •Choose salsify roots that are firm and heavy for their size. If they bend easily or feel hollow, they've been stored too long and the centers will be woody and fibrous. Fresh roots snap cleanly when you bend them.
• •Schwarzwurzel is in season from October through April. Don't bother looking for it in summer. Austrian cooking is seasonal and that's part of what makes it honest. If it's July, make Fissolensalat instead.
• •The Marinade is vinegar-forward by design. If you find it too sharp, add another half tablespoon of sour cream rather than cutting the vinegar. You need that acidity to balance the earthiness of the root.
• •If you can find Hesperidenessig, the citrus-infused vinegar from Vienna, use it here. It has a floral brightness that works beautifully with salsify. A good Apfelessig (apple cider vinegar) is the next best thing.

Advance Preparation

• •The salsify can be peeled and held in acidulated water for up to two hours before cooking. Don't go longer than that or the texture starts to soften.
• •The finished salad improves over an hour or two at room temperature as the Marinade soaks in. It keeps in the fridge for one day, but bring it back to room temperature for thirty minutes before serving, or the flavor goes flat.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 195g)