Inspired by my visit in the spring to Tokyo’s underground blanching of Udo (Aralia cordata), see link below, I dug up a couple of roots that I will force inside the house in late winter :) I will keep them cold in the cellar and then move them into probably my living room to force in February!
Daily Archives: December 4, 2016
Broad beans, peas and quinoa
Greater pignut
Greater pignut or earth chestnut (Bunium bulbocastanum) is an interesting perennial hardy root vegetable in the carrot family (Apiaceae) that I had in my garden for 10-15 years. The seeds didn’t often mature, so it didn’t spread at all (unlike common pignut, Conopodium majus). It is like a outsized pignut in appearance. However, I can’t eat either of these raw as I get a burning aftertaste at the back of my throat after a while, after an initial mild nutty flavour….and yield needs to be improved dramatically before it will be widely grown..
Often greater pignut received as seed is actually Oenanthe pimpinelloides which also is reported to have edible tubers (plants received as O. pimpinelloides have never survived the winter here). As discussed in the pictures, I believe mine was the true Bunium.