Produce Guide - S

Salsify Scorzonera

This pair of roots is relatively new in the scheme of things, having arrived on the European scene only in the 17th century. While sources disagree over whether they are botanically related, they share a host of similarities. Both are carrot-shaped, with creamy white flesh and a distinct flavour that some say is a cross between asparagus and artichokes, while others insist it is reminiscent of parsnip. Still others claim to detect a faint oyster taste; although in England salsify was once known as "the poor man's oyster" and is still called "oyster plant," my taste buds have never picked up on this subtlety. Despite their similarities, at first glance salsify and scorzonera are startlingly different. Salsify is beige, like a parsnip, while scorzonera has dark, almost black skin and is often sold as "black salsify."

Both roots are usually available from late fall through spring, although you may find them off and on through the rest of the year. Salsify is often twisted and unruly, with tiny rootlets springing unchecked in every direction. It is sometimes sold with its grassy green tops still attached; these can be picked through, the nicest ones used in salads, and the rest thrown into a stock or soup. Scorzonera roots should be straight and even, and they may be sold whole or in pieces. Either way, look for firm roots, slightly softer than a fresh carrot. Medium-sized roots are your best bet, as large ones can be woody and the smaller ones end up minuscule once peeled.

Salsify, white or black, will keep for about two weeks when wrapped in plastic and stored in the refrigerator. I recommend peeling these roots after they are cooked, for several reasons. Most of the flavour resides in the skin and is absorbed by the flesh as it cooks; the raw flesh will begin to mottle and darken as soon as it is exposed to air; and white salsify, with its wild rootlets and twisted body, is frustrating to peel when raw, although when it's cooked the skin should slip off fairly easily. You can use both types of salsify in any recipe that calls for parsnips, and it makes a nice change from potatoes as well. I like to steam rather than boil salsify because, unlike hardier root vegetables, it has a tendency to break. Steam for about 10 minutes over 2 inches (5 cm) of boiling water; it is ready when tender, overdone once it feels mushy. Blanch in cold water and slip off the skin. Reheat by sautéing in a little butter, or mash with butter and a splash of cream, and season with salt, pepper, and a grating of fresh nutmeg.

Sapodillas and White Sapotes

The sapote or sapota is the Anglicized name for fruits native to Mexico and Central America and commonly called zapote. Some, but not all, of these fruits belong to the family Sapotaceae. Most common of these is the sapodilla, tree potato, or chico sapote, which grows on the same tree that produces chicle, from which chewing gum is made. The sapodilla is an egg-sized berry with a russet brown skin similar to that of a kiwi. When ripe, its soft, juicy flesh is yellowish or pinkish-brown, almost translucent, and encases a large stone. It is similar in texture to a ripe pear, both juicy and granular, and its flavour can be compared to brown sugar, honey, and caramel. The fruit is usually simply peeled and eaten out of hand, although it makes a lovely juice, and in the West Indies they process it for syrup.

The white sapote Casimiroa edulis is not actually related to the sapodilla but is instead a kissing cousin to the citrus fruits. Around the size of an orange, the white sapote has a thin, bitter skin which ranges in colour from ivory to canary yellow to bright green. The flesh is extraordinarily smooth, like fine custard, and its flavour is sweet and mild, hinting of pear, peach, or mango, depending on the particular fruit. When ripe, it is as soft as a ripe plum, and is best eaten chilled. To eat, simply cut it in half and scoop the flesh out with a spoon, spitting out the few flat seeds. Because of its sweet-ness, it may benefit from a squeeze of lime or lemon juice.

Spinach

In spite of Popeye's enduring efforts to popularize spinach, it continues to provoke groans of disgust from some children. Perhaps this is because many parents still force overcooked, soggy green mush down their offsprings' gullets, in the hopes of counteracting a diet of chips and chocolate bars. What a crime! Spinach has got to be one of the tastiest, most versatile greens going. Raw, stir-fried, steamed, or baked, spinach can be every cook's dream vegetable.

Spinach is available year-round, although local crops peak from mid-April through early June. Fresh from the market, spinach usually requires several washings in a sink full of cold water, to remove the silt and sand that gets trapped between the leaves. Use your hands to swish around the loose leaves, allowing the grit to settle to the bottom of the sink. Lift out the spinach, drain the sink, and repeat the process until the water runs clear. Drain in a colander or spin dry. Remove any long or tough stems by holding the leaf at its base and stripping away the stems. Spinach can usually be purchased rinsed and ready to use in tidy cellophane packets, but I don't mind having to clean my own, especially when there's the added bonus of enjoying young spinach, with tender leaves and few coarse and fibrous stalks to remove. Curly spinach, with its thicker, ruffled leaves, is what you'll usually get at restaurants, since its bulky appearance lets the chef get away with putting less on your plate.

Sprouts

Sprouts are one of nature's finest snack foods. Crunchy, nutritious and tasty, you can't go wrong sneaking a bag of fresh sprouts into the movie theatre. And make sure they are fresh, because that really is the key to their goodness. Whether you're throwing a handful of alfalfa sprouts into a sandwich or salad, or stir-frying hardier mung bean sprouts, you want them to be crisp and sweet-smelling.

An increasing number of sprout varieties have become available as growers experiment with sprouting various types of seeds. The most common of the small varieties are alfalfa, clover, and radish sprouts, all of which should be eaten raw. Alfalfa sprouts are the tiniest, with 2-3 inch (5-7 cm) tails, tender, moist, and delicately crisp. Clover sprouts are a little longer, 3-5 inches (7-13 cm), with tiny, bright green leaves that taste bittersweet and a bit grassy. Radish sprouts, extremely hot and peppery, are sold in combination with alfalfa sprouts, usually under the label of "spicy" sprouts. Since these pale green sprouts are more robust than their more delicate cousins, you can toss them into salads without fear of crushing them, or combine them with shredded cheese and serve them in an omelette.

The larger sprout varieties are suitable for steaming, stir-frying, or tossing into a soup or casserole. The most familiar is the mild, fresh-tasting mung bean sprout, which is commonly used in Asian cooking - in stir-fries, noodle dishes, and spring rolls. Others legumes, such as aduki, lentils, garbanzos (chickpeas), yellow beans, and soy beans, can also be sprouted successfully. Often these are combined to make a variety called "crispy" sprouts, because the seeds only partially sprout, and so one gets to enjoy the crunchy seeds themselves.

Winter Squash

Despite the fact that most squash varieties are available year-round, we still tend to think of them in two categories - winter and summer. It is more accurate, perhaps, to distinguish them as hard-shell and soft-shell. Winter squash are harvested in the fall, when their rinds have hardened, and they keep well under the bed all winter, or so says the Yankee lore of New England and the Maritimes. Summer squash are cultivated for their soft, immature fruit, and are frequently eaten with their skins left on.

The many different types of winter squash vary wildly in appearance but somewhat less so in use and flavour. Among the most popular squash are the acorn, sweet dumpling, buttercup, butternut, Hubbard, and spaghetti squash. When buying winter squash, choose one that is hard and feels heavy for its size. Don't worry if you see dry, scabby patches, but make sure there are no soft spots, mould, or cracks. Whole squash will keep for up to a month in a cool, dark, dry place. Cut squash can be kept in the refrigerator, wrapped tightly, for a week.

Acorn squash are small and heart-shaped, the perfect size for a romantic dinner for two. Also known as pepper squash, their smooth thin skin varies in colour from deep green to white to orange, and sometimes a combination of all three. They have pale orange flesh - tender, moist, and fibrous - with a relatively large seed cavity. The orange or golden acorn is sweeter and more flavourful and can be substituted for pumpkin in most recipes. Cut acorn squash in half lengthways, and, using a spoon, scrape out the seeds and fibres. Place them, cut sides down, on a greased baking sheet, and bake at 375°F (180°C) for 30-45 minutes, or until soft. You can eat them right out of the shells, with butter and seasoning, or scoop the flesh out and use it in a recipe. Two other varieties of single-serving squash are the sweet potato squash, a fat sausage with green and white stripes, and the sweet dumpling, which looks like a small drum and is also striped with green and white. Both of these squash have orange flesh with a rich, nutty flavour.

Strawberries

Strawberries are so named not because their beds are sometimes strewn with straw, but because, like many other members of the erratic rose family, strawberries tend to "stray." The strawberry is the symbol of summer for many of us, and certainly one of the season's great delights. Despite the fact that we can enjoy them year-round, thanks to fine imports from Florida, California, Chile, Mexico, and as far away as New Zealand, seasonal local berries are still the best. Often picked the same day they arrive at the market, these berries are more likely to be sweet and juicy than their jet-lagged relatives. Even better is if you can get out to a u-pick farm and eat them as you pick.

I may be biased, but I'm convinced that Nova Scotia produces the best strawberries. The overall growing season lasts about two months, although each area's season is only three to four weeks long. Some of the most popular berries here are the Annapolis, the Bounty, the Cavendish, and the Glooscap. The Annapolis is a fairly average berry, but it is valued for its consistency and resistance to disease. My favourite jam berry is the Bounty, a very dark red, somewhat soft berry, with hulls that pull out cleanly and easily. It's a bit seedy, which bothers some people, but not me. The Cavendish is a good eater, large and often spotted with white. And the Glooscap is lovely and sweet, lasts well, and freezes beautifully. The Kent is a popular mid-season variety grown right across Canada; large and sweet, it stands up well to handling. And while new varieties are constantly being developed, they are rarely sold by name, but usually simply labelled as "local."

Sweet Potatoes

The sweet potato is a New World vegetable, native to South America and commonly associated with southern cooking and "soul food." It comes in a variety of shapes - round and fat, long and skinny, knobbly or smooth. The skin can range in colour from golden brown to copper or pale pink to deep purple, while the flesh may be white, yellow, orange, red, pink, or even purple. The most common variety is copper-skinned with bright orange flesh. The flavour will vary depending on the variety; as a general rule, lighter-fleshed sweet potatoes are more delicate, nutty rather than sweet, while darker ones have the distinctly spicy-sweet taste most of us expect.

Available year-round, sweet potatoes are grown all over the world. Mexico, Florida, and Central and South America produce most of the sweet potatoes sold in North America, but Asia is by far the largest producer, growing 90% of the world's crop. Look for clean, well-shaped tubers with an even colour, and avoid soft or bruised ones, which are already spoiling. They will keep best in a cool, dark place, but not in the refrigerator, for up to 2 weeks.

Swiss Chard

Although the word chard comes from the Latin for thistle, this vegetable is in fact a kind of beet cultivated for its greens rather than for its roots. To confuse things even more, Swiss chard doesn't appear to have originated in Switzerland. Anyway, the name distinguishes it from another variety, ruby or rhubarb chard, which has vivid red rather than pale green or white ribs. And you're actually getting two vegetables for the price of one, as Swiss chard's thick, pale ribs are generally cooked separately from the ruffled greens, which are akin to spinach leaves in both taste and appearance. So if you like spinach, beets, or both, you'll love Swiss chard.

Available off and on throughout the year, Swiss chard peaks from early summer through October. As with all greens, the leaves are extremely perishable and should be fresh and crisp when brought home. Use them as soon as possible, and certainly within 2 days. If you separate the leaves from the ribs, you can keep the ribs for a few days longer, wrapped well and stored in the vegetable crisper.

Rinse Swiss chard thoroughly in a sink full of tepid water, swishing the leaves around and allowing any grit or sand to sink to the bottom. Lift out, spin or pat dry, and use a sharp knife or scissors to trim the leaves from the ribs, pulling off any fibrous strings. Tear the leaves into pieces of uniform size, and slice the stems on the diagonal. Swiss chard is very delicate and should always be steamed, never boiled. Cook it like spinach, with just the water clinging to its leaves after washing. With its distinctive, beet-like taste, Swiss chard can be used in a mixed green salad. Like bok choy, Swiss chard adds flavour and colour to soups and stews (add it just a few minutes before serving to retain its texture), as well as making a great stir-fry ingredient. This green also holds its own in creamy dishes, as the fat counterbalances its slightly acid taste.