Thursday, January 7, 2010

CROSNES: rare tubers and other fun Farmer's Market finds

Whenever I see a weird veggie at the Farmer's Market I have to try it. I am now hooked on sunchokes or jerusalem artichokes and can only find them there. If you just roast them with salt and pepper and olive oil in their skin at 450 degrees they melt like butter inside and are really delicious. Although my favorite way to prepare sunchokes is to make Sunchoke Bruschetta.
On my weekly search for sunchokes I saw a bin of Crosnes. The sign reads: "Crosnes (crow'nz) A rare tuber often grown in France. Radish-like crunch. In the mint family. Water chestnut flavor. Not a potato. Similar to jicama. $16/lb. Sautee quickly in butter. Good raw in salads."
I sauteed them in olive oil with some rosemary. They were good. They were a mix between a radish in crunchy texture and potatoes in flavor. Its not a potato!
I also saw these strange alien green balls called Osage Orange that look like a decoration from Pier 1. They are roach repellents. I don't have roaches, (thank god!) so I didn't buy any. There are no roaches in Queens.

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