Salsify soup with cream and allspice

Black salsify, also known as scorzonera, is a slender, black-skinned root that looks rather like a skinny parsnip but has a delicately nutty flavour. It grows well in the Welsh climate. Cook it before you attempt to scrape off the skin – once cut, the flesh dries out and loses much of its moisture. When boiled, the roots peel easily and the pulp stays white as snow. For a delicate winter soup, combine with a well-flavoured vegetable stock and finish with cream.