Oat root is an almost forgotten root vegetable that has been cultivated for thousands of years. Its leaves are also edible. In taste and application, oat root is very similar to garden black root. Other names are: White root, milk root, purple goat’s beard, habermark, marrow root or oyster plant.
Here’s what you should know about oat root.
Oat root is an almost forgotten root vegetable that has been cultivated for thousands of years. Its leaves are also edible. In taste and application, oat root is very similar to garden black root. Oat root belongs to the composite family. Its Latin name is Tragopogon porrifolius. It belongs to the genus of goat’s beard plants. Oatroot flowers purple and spreads its seeds like dandelion in the wind. The main vegetable is the long taproot. It grows up to 30 cm long with a diameter of about 3.5 cm. Its leaves grow as a rosette from the root tip and visually resemble leeks. The original home of the oat root is in the Mediterranean region. There it was already cultivated and grown as a vegetable plant during ancient times. The long cultivation tradition is proven by written records. More than 2000 years ago, the Greek naturalist and philosopher Theophrastos of Eresos described “Tragopogon” as a food. Over the centuries, its cultivation spread to Central and Northern Europe. During the Middle Ages, it also became a popular vegetable plant in Germany. From the 16th and 17th centuries, garden blackroot, introduced from Spain, displaced the agricultural cultivation of oat root. Both root vegetables have a high similarity in terms of nutritional values, taste and use in cooking. However, the garden black root has the more productive rhizomes and is more resistant to frost. This makes their cultivation more rewarding. Unlike garden blackroot, oatroot has a yellowish-white root bark. Because of this cream-colored cork layer, it is also called white root to distinguish it from black root. Its great advantage is that the white root does not need to be peeled. The light-colored root bark is edible. Its root flesh is white and – as in the case of salsify – is crisscrossed with milk tubes that secrete a sticky milky juice. When exposed to air, it oxidizes and turns brown. Nowadays, oat root is only cultivated on a significant scale in England. Organic farming has also rediscovered this old crop and cultivates it sporadically. The biennial plant develops its rootstock with leaf rosette in the first year. Flowering occurs the following year. In this process, the flower stalks reach a height of 100 – 120 cm. However, since the vegetable root becomes woody and dry with the onset of flowering, harvesting begins in the first year from October. With a light frost, the root becomes sweeter. Therefore, oat roots are sold even in winter. The taste is similar to salsify. However, oat roots do not have asparagine, which produces a slight asparagus taste in garden salsify. Instead, oatroot contains carotenoids and tastes sweet to nutty bittersweet like turnip. The lactic juice adds another flavor. It is compared to the taste of an oyster. This is where the name oyster plant comes from.
Importance for health
The oat root contains many healthy nutritional values. In the Alemannic vernacular, therefore, the saying has been passed down: “Habermark makes d’ Bube strong”. Of particular importance is the inulin contained in it. This is a polysaccharide. This polysaccharide is broken down in the stomach to fructose, i.e. fruit sugar. In contrast to glucose, which is grape sugar, fructose hardly affects the blood sugar level. Therefore, oat root is very suitable for diabetics and a dietary diet. Oat root is also gluten-free. It optimally complements the diet of people with gluten intolerance. Consumption of oat root supports the formation of red blood cells and the liver is better detoxified. On bladder and gall bladder diseases, as well as arteriosclerosis, oat root can have a healing effect.
Ingredients and nutritional values
The white root convinces with a high content of vital minerals. The most important are potassium, calcium and magnesium. In addition, there are carotenoids and vitamins, as well as inulin.
Intolerances and allergies
Intolerances can arise for people with sensitive or weakened gastrointestinal tract.After consumption of oat roots, the aforementioned inulin may cause mild digestive problems in those affected. Other intolerances are unknown.
Purchasing and kitchen tips
Oat roots are not sold in supermarkets. The quantities grown are too small for that. You are most likely to find them at a weekly market with direct marketing by farmers. Organic farms also sometimes offer this vegetable. The season starts from autumn until winter. Then the online search can also be worthwhile. Various suppliers have vegetable boxes or a vegetable ordering service on offer. It is not easy to find oat root in the free market. An alternative can be the cultivation in the own garden. What is needed is loose, rather sandy soil. But be sure to take to heart that the roots are harvested well before flowering. Otherwise they are no longer edible. When buying, transporting and harvesting, make sure that the roots are not damaged. Otherwise, the milky juice will come out and the roots will lose their flavor. Oat roots can be stored in the refrigerator for about two weeks. To do this, wrap them in cling film and put them in the vegetable drawer. For preparation, it is recommended to wear a kitchen apron and rubber gloves. If the sticky milky juice gets on clothing or hands, cleanup is tedious. If the roots still have leaf mass, the leaves should be cut off and stored immediately before preparation. They can be used for various recipes. Before processing, the roots must be cleaned. This is done with a root brush under running water. Well cleaned roots do not need to be peeled, which simplifies the kitchen work. In the other case, peeling with a peeler is recommended. This may result in brown discoloration because the lactic juice oxidizes. Until processing, the freshly peeled roots should therefore be placed in vinegar water or in a mixture of water with flour. A third variant is blanching. For this, the roots are boiled for a short time in water or vinegar water and then poured over cold. Then the cork bark can be easily pulled off the root flesh.
Preparation tips
Oat root is a versatile vegetable. The leaves can be cooked like spinach. In addition, they are suitable as a soup garnish or for salads. Even the flowers of the oat root fit as a salad garnish. However, they should be boiled briefly before use. The root can be grated raw to make a tasty salad. It combines well with carrots, horseradish and parsnips, nuts and apples. Yogurt, sour cream or lemon, seasoned with chervil or parsley, make a delicious dressing. As a root vegetable, oat root is a good accompaniment to fish and meat. It is delicious with cream or béchamel sauce. The root can also be made into puree. Breaded or unbreaded, it can be pan-fried – cut into strips – and used as a meat substitute to support a vegetarian diet.
