Making the same foods at home over and over can get boring. Today we are highlighting a food that you may not have even heard of before: Burdock! Burdock is a root vegetable that is native to Northern Asia and Europe and is starting to grow more in the United States. Burdock root is rich in antioxidants and has known to be a great natural remedy for many different conditions.
- Burdock is packed with antioxidants including quercetin, luteolin and phenolic acids. This can help treat a long list of health conditions, including inflammation.
- Burdock is most commonly used to purify blood. The root contains active ingredients that can remove toxins from the bloodstream.
- Burdock root can help treat skin conditions like acne and eczema, even some tropical burns.
- It may also inhibit certain types of cancer with its potent inhibitory effects on cancer cells.
Recipes:
Roasted Burdock Root (growforagecookferment.com)
- 1 lb Burdock Root
- 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Pinch Salt
- Pinch Pepper
- 1-2 teaspoons Soy Sauce
- 1-2 teaspoon Sesame Seeds
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Wash the burdock roots well to remove any dirt and grit, then slice into one inch rounds.
Place the burdock rounds into a bowl and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Spread the roots out onto a sheet pan, cut sides down. Roast for 15 minutes or until golden on one side, then flip. Return to the oven for another 10 minutes.
Add a splash or two of soy sauce and a sprinkle of seasme seeds when serving, if desired.
Kinpira Gobo - Braised Burdock Root (justonecookbook.com)
- 1 Gobo (Burdock Root)
- 1/3 Carrot
- 1 1/2 tablespoon Sesame Oil
- 1 tablespoon Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Sake
- 1 tablespoon Mirin
- 1 1/2 tablespoon Soy Sauce
- 1 Dried Red Chili Pepper
- 2 teaspoon toasted White Sesame Seeds
Gather all the ingredients. I recommend measuring the condiments ahead of time. You can combine sake, mirin, and soy sauce in one bowl.
When you look for gobo, try to find one without dark rings (the sign of old gobo). Unfortunately, I don't always get the best gobo from local grocery stores. Shave off the skin with the back of a knife. We do not use a vegetable peeler because the flavor of the gobo is right under the skin and you don't want to peel that off.
After shaving, thinly slice the gobo diagonally. The slices should be about 2 inches (5 cm) in length. Then collect some slices and cut them into thin julienne strips.
Soak the gobo strips in water for 10 minutes, changing water halfway. After 10 minutes, rinse them under cold water and drain well.
Peel and cut the carrot into thin 2-inch (5 cm) slabs. Then cut them into thin julienne strips.Cut the top end of dried red chili pepper and remove seeds by shaking it. Then cut into thin rounds. If you want to make it spicy, add the seeds. In Japanese cooking, we usually discard all the seeds.
Heat the sesame oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. When it's hot, add the gobo.
Stir fry gobo until almost tender, roughly 2-3 minutes. If you had trouble cutting gobo into thin pieces (thin pieces will cook faster), it will take a longer time to stir fry. Another option is to add ¾ cup Dashi or Vegan Dashi and let gobo simmer. When gobo is 50-60% cooked through, add the carrot.
Continue to stir fry until both carrot and gobo are tender.
Add sugar, sake, mirin, and soy sauce.
When the vegetables are coated well with the seasoning, add chili pepper (if you add any). Cook until the cooking liquid evaporates.
Sprinkle sesame seeds and quickly toss all together. Serve the dish into individual bowls or a large bowl/plate.
Burdock Mashed Potatoes (foragerchef.com)
- Kosher Salt and White Pepper
- 2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- 2 lb Russet Potatoes
- 6 ounces Burdock Root
- 2 cups Heavy Cream
Fill a container with some water seasoned to taste with lemon juice. Working root by root, peel the roots and place them in the water with to prevent oxidization. When the burdock is peeled, remove the roots from the water and slice thinly.
Preheat the oven to 250. Put the chopped burdock and cream into a small, non-reactive saucepot and bring the mixture to a simmer, seasoning lightly to taste with salt and white pepper. Transfer the pot to the oven and bake, covered, until the burdock is tender, about 30-45 minutes.
Next remove the burdock and cream from the oven, then puree in a blender, adding a little water if necessary to thin the mixture and obtain a smooth puree. Pass the burdock cream through a strainer and reserve until needed. The burdock puree can be made a day or two ahead of time, it can also be frozen and reheated, although it may need to be pureed again since freezing can cause it to separate.
To cook the potatoes, heat a pot of lightly salted water. Peel the potatoes and add to the pot, cook the potatoes for 15 minutes, or until tender. Remove the potatoes and pass through a ricer. Add the reserved burdock cream and the butter to the potatoes and stir to combine. Taste the potatoes for salt and pepper and adjust if needed. Transfer the potatoes to a serving dish and keep warm, covered, until needed.
Serve the potatoes topped with a little knob of butter, and some sliced chives, if using.
