Burdock - how to consume it?

From Europe, burdock has appeared in the diet of Native Americans only recently, hence the lack of documented uses that are available for this purpose. We know that the Iroquois were eating the young leaves boiled and employed the dried root in the soup. Among the Lillooet, British Columbia, we picked the root before the appearance of leaves and is eaten raw.

By cons, in Europe, it was much used in the countryside. First of all its leaves, only the very young, because they become bitter developing. Then the leaf petioles, which can be eaten raw or cooked when they are not bitter and can be lacto-fermented. Then the young shoots, just out of the ground, which can be eaten raw as long as we peel the first to remove the bitter part. They can also be pickled. However, quite often they are infested by the stem borer burdock, which makes them much less attractive.

Japan is probably that it consumes the greatest amount of burdock per head pipe. These people, who brought the art of cooking to a refinement of exquisite simplicity, has developed varieties less bitter and more tender it prepares a vegetable such as carrots, parsnips and salsify.

The root can also be lacto-fermented. In addition, as chicory, dandelion, artichoke and salsify - incidentally, four plants of the same family - it was used to make a coffee substitute.

Something to remember: when you cut the root, it oxidizes quickly. After cut, so it is recommended to put the pieces to soak a few minutes in very cold water.