Scorzonera

This is a very long straight root vegetable that belongs to the lettuce family. It is harvested in autumn and winter and is enjoyed for its delicate but bitter flavour. The root can grow up to 30 cm (1 foot) in length and must be thoroughly scraped with a knife until the white pulp is visible. If it is old, cut it in two and discard the woody centre. If it is very young, though, it can be boiled whole and eaten with melted butter like asparagus. In Italy nowadays there are few enthusiasts of the vegetable, but it makes an interesting change to the usual fare.