SIMPLE SALSIFY FRITTERS

A delicious, buttery treat! Serves 4.

Approximately 400 g black salsify
1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar
3 tablespoons butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
150 g seasoned flour
1-2 tablespoons butter for sautéing

Scrub the salsify and scrape the skin off with a knife. You can do this quickly and not worry about removing every last scrap of skin. Chop the roots into two or three-inch lengths, halving or quartering them if they are thick. Drop the pieces into a bowl of water with a few tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar. (The acid prevents the roots from turning brown in the air.) Bring an inch of water to a boil in a saucepan. Place a steamer rack inside the pan and put the salsify on the rack. Cover and cook for about ten minutes, or until just tender. (The root gets mushy if you cook it too long.) Mash the steamed salsify with a fork and stir in the butter, salt, and pepper. Other tasty additions at this stage include capers, black olives or some smoked mackerel (yum!). Shape in small flat cakes, roll in flour, and sauté in butter, browning first one side and then the other.