This group includes familiar vegetables such as carrots and potatoes, as well as a large group of lesser-known specimens such as swede, turnip, parsnip, celeriac and Jerusalem artichoke. The poor reputation of some of these vegetables is due to perception rather than flavour. Cheap root vegetables were often served up as institutional and therefore uninspiring food; other roots were commonly used as animal fodder. But it is worth discovering their advantages.
These vegetables are all excellent ingredients to include in casseroles and stews. They work well with each other but also happily partner a broad range of other vegetables, as well as a variety of spices and herbs. They make smooth purees, which can be enriched with cream or soft cheese, and best of all they are delicious roasted, a cooking method that brings out their natural mellow flavour and sweetness. So, if you have always given them a miss, have a rethink!
General Advice
When buying root vegetables, look for wrinkle-free skins with no soft patches or sprouting. Some do have very knobbly exteriors but don't be put off; the vegetables should feel firm and heavy. If kept in cool, well-ventilated conditions, most root vegetables will keep for about 1 week and probably longer but they do gradually lose their vitamin C content. They should be used immediately if they start to sprout
CARROTS
A highly nutritious vegetable, carrots are also a great cooking mainstay, delicious both raw and cooked. Carrots can be teamed with a great variety of flavours-from the mildest dairy product to spicy Indian or Oriental flavourings.
Buying and storing
Carrots should be crisp with a smooth surface. Avoid any that are limp or have damaged skins. Keep them in a cool airy place for about 1 week.
Preparation and cooking
Peel carrots thinly to remove any chemicals, but if they are organically grown, this is not necessary. Cut off tops and root ends, and slice, dice or cut into strips. Boil, steam, microwave, roast or stir-fry.
POTATOES
This is now one of the world's most widely grown vegetables. Potatoes fall into two categories - waxy or floury- although some all-purpose varieties are midway between the two. Waxy potatoes have a high moisture and low starch content, and are better for sauteing, boiling and salads. New potatoes tend to have a waxy character. Floury potatoes have more starch and a lighter texture and are good for baking and mashing.
Buying and storing
Potatoes belong to the nightshade family, a group of plants in which all, apart from the tubers, are poisonous. Exposure to light, and sprouting, can cause a concentration of poisons, visible as a green hue, so it is vital not to buy or eat green potatoes or sprouting potatoes. A small patch of green can be cut away but discard any with a heavy green tinge.
Do not store potatoes sealed in polythene as this will create condensation and the moisture will cause them to spoil. Stored in a dry, dark place with good ventilation, potatoes will keep for at least 2 weeks, maybe longer. They are best not stored with strong-smelling foods, such as onions, as they can pick up an off-flavour.
Preparation and cooking
Scrub well to remove most of the pesticides or peel thinly. Potatoes can lose up to 25% of their protein if peeled too coarsely and much of their vitamin C content is close to the skin. Boil, roast or bake whole.
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes have light brown, orange or purple skins and bright orange, or sometimes white, flesh. Their sweetness makes them less versatile than ordinary potatoes, but this quality can be used to advantage when making root vegetable purees, or when adding them to casseroles and roasting. Sweet potatoes team well with a variety of spices and herbs. They are not related to the ordinary potato or the yam but are often interchangeable with the latter.
Buying and Storing
Check for rotten or soft spots. Store in a cool, dry, dark place and cat within 1 week.
Preparation and cooking
Scrub and bake whole, or peel and slice thinly for baking as 'crisps', or cut into chunks for casseroles. Sweet potatoes can also be boiled and mashed.
YAM
These tropical roots are more starchy than the sweet potato. They are important ingredients in recipes from West Africa, the West Indies and South East Asia.
Buying and storing
Look out for rotten or soft patches. Store in a cool, dry, dark place and eat within 1 week.
Preparation and cooking
Scrub, rub with oil and bake whole. Peel and slice or mash.
PARSNIP
A long white root, the parsnip is similar in shape to a carrot but with creamy flesh and a strong, sweet flavour. Parsnips are not edible raw but can be cooked in a number of ways. They go well with a variety of herbs and spices, as well as flavourings such as orange and lemon. Once cooked, parsnip purees easily, making it highly suitable for soups.
Buying and storing
It is best to choose small smooth specimens with firm flesh; large parsnips tend to be woody in texture. Store in a cool dry place for about 1 week.
Preparation and cooking
Scrub and peel parsnips thinly. Trim tops and root ends and slice or chop into lengths. Boil, steam, saute or roast.
BEETROOT
Beetroot is cultivated for both the root and its leaves. The roots can vary in colour from red and gold to white, although the flavour is roughly the same. The main difference is that golden beets don't bleed in the way that red beets do. The flavour of beetroot is sweet and earthy. It is great with onion or citrus flavours, as well as with soured cream, tangy goat's cheese and hot condiments, such as mustard and horseradish.
Buying and Storing
Choose firm, smooth roots with the leaves attached. Separate the leaves before storing. Beetroot can be kept in a ventilated polythene bag in the fridge for some weeks.
Preparation and Cooking
Red beets will stain everything crimson, so consider carefully what you wear, where you prepare them and what other ingredients you mix them with. Sadly, the dramatic crimson colour can turn rather easily to an unattractive pink. Beetroot is easier to peel once it has been cooked. Scrub the roots and then boil for 35-40 minutes or until tender. Remove the skins with a sharp knife when the beetroot is cool enough to handle. Beetroot is good roasted or baked. It can be eaten raw and is then best grated or cut into thin slivers.
Turnip
The best turnips are no bigger than a golf ball with a greenish white or purple skin. They have a slightly peppery flavour, which works well with dairy products, as well as with pungent herbs, such as thyme or tarragon.
Buying and storing
Look for small smooth-skinned roots with creamy flesh. Avoid shrivelled or cracked roots. Turnips will keep for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
Preparation and cooking
Small, young specimens do not need peeling - simply scrub them under running water. They can be added to casseroles, mashed with other root vegetables, steamed, sauteed or stir-fried.
JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE
These nutty tubers grow beneath yellow flowers related to the sunflower, hence the alternative name `sunchoke'. They have a crisp flesh and a sweet flavour, a little like water chestnuts. They are great for soups and stews and can also be partnered with dairy products, such as creme fraiche or soured cream, or with spices.
They cause flatulence due to an indigestible carbohydrate, which eventually causes a build-up of gases in the colon. It is therefore best to eat small quantities at a time.
Buying and storing
Look for firm unblemished tubers. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. However, you must check them and use immediately if they begin to sprout.
Preparation and cooking
The knobbly surface needs a lot of scrubbing and sometimes careful peeling. Some commercially grown varieties now have much smoother skins, which are easier to deal with. Once peeled, the flesh discolours quickly so have a bowl of water containing a few drops of lemon juice handy. Try not to leave the cut pieces in the water for too long before cooking. Bake, roast, boil, steam or saute.
CELERIAC
The knobbly, shaggy exterior of celeriac is unattractive but do not be put off. Celeriac has a flavour and aroma akin to celery. It is delicious cooked in wine or pureed with butter, cream or soft cheese. It is also good raw in salads.
Buying and storing
Buy medium varieties as older, larger specimens may have a woody texture or, worse still, may be hollow. Celeriac should feel heavy for its size.
Preparation and cooking
Remove the skin with a small sharp knife, rather than trying to use a vegetable peeler. The flesh discolours quickly so, as with Jerusalem artichokes, have a bowl of acidulated water to hand. Try not to leave the cut pieces in the water for too long before cooking. Boil or sauté.
SWEDE (RUTABAGA)
Once used almost exclusively for animal fodder, new varieties of swede are being grown specifically for home cooking. These tend to be smaller and not quite so hard, with orange flesh that has an attractive, warm appearance. Swede is useful in soups and casseroles and also extremely good when roasted. It goes well with ginger or nutmeg.
Buying and storing
Look for smaller specimens with smooth skins, which feel firm and heavy. Store for several weeks in cool, dry conditions.
Preparation and cooking
Peel thickly with a sharp knife, exposing the yellow flesh. Because it has a high water content, a simple mash can be rather tasteless. Swede is better roasted, steamed or microwaved.