Asparagus has a wonderfully distinctive flavor and a meaty texture. It's often served as a side dish, after being steamed or briefly boiled. Better cooks insist that it be peeled first, but many people skip this step. To remove the tough base, simply snap the asparagus in half with your hands. The stalk should break right about at the point where it starts getting too tough to serve to company.
There's a purple variety, but it turns green when it's cooked and so loses its novelty. White asparagus, on the other hand, is more tender than green, and more expensive. Asparagus is often available year-round, but the best time to buy it is in the spring.
Substitutes: white asparagus OR leeks OR okra OR fiddlehead fern OR broccoli
bamboo shoots = takenoko = take-noko = tung sun = choke-sun = chun-sun Notes: You can buy fresh shoots at some Chinese markets, but you must boil them first to rid them of hydrocyanic acid, a toxin that causes cyanide poisoning. Canned shoots are safer and more widely available. Rinse them well before using. Submerge any unused shoots in fresh water and store them in a sealed container in the refrigerator, changing the water daily. Substitutes: asparagus OR coconut shoots (sweeter)
cardoon = cardoni = cardi = Texas celery = chardoon Pronunciation: kar-DOON Notes: This vegetable is very likely an early ancester of the artichoke. Its large, grayish-green stalks are somewhat bitter, but they remain popular in Italy and North Africa. You can find them in large produce markets in late fall. Substitutes: artichoke hearts OR celery (not as bitter) OR salsify
celery Equivalents: 1 rib = 1/2 cup sliced Notes: Raw celery is flavorful and wonderfully crunchy, and it's a great vehicle for dips or fillings like peanut butter or cream cheese. Celery can also be sautéed and used to flavor soups, stews, and sauces. A bunch or stalk of celery consists of a dozen or so individual ribs, with the tender innermost ribs called the celery heart. Substitutes: carrots (for snacking) OR fennel stalks (takes longer to cook) OR Chinese celery (This is a good substitute if the celery is to be cooked; Chinese celery has a more intense flavor than conventional celery.) OR bok choy (raw or cooked) OR cardoon (for cooking) OR jicama (for snacking or crudités)
Chinese celery = khuen chai = kinchay Notes: This has a stronger flavor than ordinary celery, and it's often used in stir-fries and soups. Look for it in Asian markets. Substitutes: celery
coconut shoots Substitutes: bamboo shoots (not as sweet)
fennel = finocchio = Florence fennel =bulb fennel = garden fennel = sweet fennel = (incorrectly) sweet anise = (incorrectly) anise Equivalents: 1 cup sliced = 87 grams; 1 bulb = 2 1/2 cups Notes: Fennel tastes like licorice or anise, and it's commonly used in Italian dishes. It's very versatile; you can sauté it and add it to sauces, braise it as a side dish, or serve it raw as a crudité. Substitutes (for fennel bulb): Belgian endive + 1 teaspoon crushed fennel or anise seed OR celery + 1 teaspoon crushed fennel or anise seed (celery takes less time to cook) OR celery + chopped onion + crushed fennel or anise seed (celery takes less time to cook) OR celery + Pernod, Ricard, or anisette (celery takes less time to cook) OR udo OR celery (celery takes less time to cook) Substitutes (for fennel leaves = fennel feathers): unsprayed avocado leaves OR hoja santa leaves OR parsley Notes: For more information, see the Wegman's Food Market's page on Fennel.
fiddlehead fern = pohole = fiddlehead greens = fern Notes: When a fern first emerges from the ground, its uncoiled frond is called a fiddlehead. Edible varieties of fiddleheads include those from the ostrich fern and the less common wood fern. They're available in the late spring and early summer. Select the smallest, freshest-looking fiddleheads you can find. Warning: Fiddleheads from bracken ferns resemble those from ostrich ferns, but are believed to be carcinogenic. Be very careful if you're gathering fiddleheads from the wild. Undercooked ostrich fern fiddleheads also have been linked to some cases of food poisoning. Substitutes: asparagus OR green beans OR spinach
hearts of palm = palmitos = palm hearts = swamp cabbage Equivalents: 1 cup = 146 grams Notes: These are peeled cabbage palm buds, and they're terrific in salads or as a vegetable side dish. You can buy them fresh only in Florida, but the canned version is quite good. Substitutes: artichoke hearts (to add to salads) OR asparagus (as a side dish)
rhubarb = pie plant Pronunciation: ROO-barb Notes: Though a vegetable, rhubarb is treated more like a fruit, and it's typically made into such things as pies, tarts, preserves, and wine. It's very tart, and at its best when combined with berries. Varieties includes cherry rhubarb and the more delicate strawberry rhubarb. Fresh rhubarb shows up in markets in the spring. If you can't find it fresh, frozen rhubarb is a fine substitute. Don't eat rhubarb leaves; they contain high levels of oxalic acid, a toxin. Substitutes: cranberries OR quinces
swamp cabbagesweet anise
sweet fenneludo Substitutes: fennel
white asparagus Notes: Growers make asparagus white by shielding it from the sun, thus stifling the production of chlorophyll. The result is daintier looking and a bit more tender than green asparagus. Substitutes: asparagus
Copyright © 1996-2005 Lori Alden