Salsify (tragopogon porrifolius) is a vegetable whose root and leaves can be used for cooking purposes. It is also known as white salsify, goatsbeard, vegetable oyster, and the oyster plant. The latter two names reflect the root's taste, which when cooked, resembles an oyster.
Common uses for salsify in cooking include cutting the root into 1/2-inch cubes and adding it to stews and soups. The root can also be microwaved, boiled, steamed, creamed, or mashed. A popular recipe suggests cooking the salsify root then mashing it and forming the mashed salsify into patties that are then fried.
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