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Scorzonera (Black Salsify)

Scorzonera from Erken's Stor kokebok (1914): the roots are scraped, placed in water with vinegar/lemon so they don't darken, cooked tender in salted, sugared water and warmed in a white sauce of butter, flour and cream or milk. Alternative method: cook the roots unpeeled, scrape them afterward and put them in boiling milk thickened with cold creamed butter and flour.

Source: Henriette Schønberg Erken, Stor kokebok, 1914-utg. s. 374 (falt i det fri)

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About the dish

Scorzonera (salsify) was a common winter root vegetable in Erken's time. She explains how to recognize good roots — they should be white at the break and give a white, milky sap — and gives two ways to prepare them.

How to make it

  1. 1

    Soaking water

    Mix 1 liter of warm water with 2 tbsp vinegar and 1 tbsp wheat flour, or with 2 tbsp lemon juice.

  2. 2

    Clean the roots

    Wash and scrape the scorzonera roots, cut them into 4 cm long pieces and place them in the soaking water as you go, so they do not darken.

  3. 3

    Cook the roots

    Bring 7.5 dl water to a boil with salt and a pinch of sugar, add the roots and cook them tender.

  4. 4

    Make the sauce

    Melt the butter, stir in the flour and thin with the cream or milk. Let the sauce cook through well.

  5. 5

    Assembly

    Give the roots a boil in the sauce and serve.

  6. 6

    Alternative method

    The roots can also be cooked unpeeled: wash them, cook them tender in salted water, scrape or peel them clean, cut them at once into suitably long pieces and put them in boiling milk. Cream together butter and flour cold and add it to the pot just before serving; cook until it thickens. Measure the milk that is poured over — for 5 dl milk use 50 g butter and 35 g wheat flour.

Changes from the original

Quantities are converted to modern units (5 dl cream/milk, 7.5 dl water, 1 tsp salt). "A deep plateful" of roots is estimated at about 800 g. "A knife-point of sugar" is interpreted as a pinch. The method is split into numbered steps, with the alternative method as its own step.

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Time machine – what changed?

Pick two editions and see what Henriette Schønberg Erken added, removed or changed between them.

From19141949Modernised
To19141949Modernised
1914 (proofread, p. 374) → Modernised~83% of the text changedremovedadded
Skorzonerrøtter, en 800 g skorsonerrøtter (en dyp tallerken tallerken). 50 gr. smør g smør. 40 gr. hvetemel 1/2 l. g hvetemel. 5 dl fløte eller melk melk. 1 teske salt ts salt. 1 knivsod sukker 3/4 l. vand. Skorzonerrøtter kan anvendes hele vinteren. Er de gode, skal de være hvite, naar man knækker dem over, likesom der skal vise sig en hvit, melkeagtig saft. Skorzonerrøtterne vaskes, skrapes, skjæres i 4 cm. lange stykker og lægges efterhaanden, for ikke at bli mørke, i en bolle med klype sukker. 7,5 dl vann (til koking). 1 l. l varmt vand, hvori man har rørt vann (til legevann). 2 skeer ss eddik og (til legevannet, eller 2 ss sitronsaft). 1 ske ss hvetemel (til legevannet). Bland 1 liter varmt vann med 2 ss eddik og 1 ss hvetemel, eller med 2 spiseskeer citronsaft. Røtterne sættes over ilden ss sitronsaft.. Vask og skrap skorsonerrøttene, skjær dem i 3/4 l. kokende vand, hvori 4 cm lange stykker og legg dem etter hvert i legevannet, slik at de ikke blir mørke.. Kok opp 7,5 dl vann med salt og sukker. — Smørret smeltes, irøres melet, spædes en klype sukker, legg i røttene og kok dem møre.. Smelt smøret, rør inn melet og spe med fløten eller melken. Røtterne gives La sausen koke godt gjennom.. Gi røttene et opkok oppkok i sausen. Røtterne sausen og server.. Røttene kan ogsaa også kokes urensede. Vask dem da, sæt urensede: vask dem, kok dem over ilden møre i kokende saltet vand og kok dem, til de er møre. Skrap dem saa rene vann, skrap eller «flåa dem», flå dem rene, skjær dem straks i passe lange stykker og læg legg dem efterhaanden i kokende melk. Smør Rør sammen smør og mel røres koldt sammen kaldt og lægges legg det i gryten like rett før anretningen. Koker, anretningen; kok til det jevner sig. Maal melken, seg. Mål melken som heldes over; er det 1/2 l. helles over — til 5 dl melk for eksempel, saa ta brukes 50 gr. g smør og 35 gr. g hvetemel.

Note on Modernised

Mengder er omregnet til moderne enheter (5 dl fløte/melk, 7,5 dl vann, 1 ts salt). «En dyp tallerken» røtter er anslått til ca. 800 g. «Knivsod sukker» er tolket som en klype. Fremgangsmåten er delt i nummererte trinn, med den alternative metoden som eget trinn.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I know the scorzonera roots are good?
According to the recipe, they should be white when you snap them in two, and a white, milky sap should appear. The roots can be used all winter.
How do I keep the roots from darkening?
Wash and scrape the roots, cut them into pieces about 4 cm long and place them as you go in a bowl with 1 liter of warm water mixed with 2 spoons of vinegar and 1 spoon of wheat flour – or 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.
How is the sauce made?
Melt 50 g butter, stir in 40 g wheat flour and thin with ½ liter cream or milk. The roots are first cooked in ¾ liter of boiling water with 1 teaspoon salt and a pinch of sugar, and then given a boil in the sauce.

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