Salsify Fritters

Salsify is often referred to as ‘oyster plant’ because its roots do have a pronounced shellfish-like flavor.  The original recipe for the following dish, from Beatrice Vaughan’s 1963 Yankee Hill Country Cooking, used mashed salsify to create a mock oyster fritter.  We thought we could make these more interesting, and freely adapted it by adding in garlic, green onion, and parsley, and we were quite happy with the result. 

1 pound salsify, peeled and cut into 1” pieces
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons green onions, minced
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, minced
1 egg, beaten
¼ cup flour
1 tablespoon butter
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil

Cook the salsify in boiling water until tender, about 20-30 minutes.  Drain and mash.  Combine with remaining ingredients.  Fill a heavy skillet 1/2” deep in olive oil and bring to temperature over medium-high heat.  Drop 2 tablespoons of salsify mixture into hot oil and flatten slightly with the back of a large spoon.  Fry for about 5 minutes until browned on the bottom, and then turn over.  Cook for another 5 minutes until the other side is also browned.  Remove from the hot oil and drain on paper toweling.  These are very nice served with a dollop of sour cream or chevre.

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