Salsify Kale Galette with Horseradish Sauce

In this pretty salsify kale galette, salsify - a root vegetable, rests on a bed of creamed kale inside a pastry crust. It's then drizzled with horseradish sauce and sprinkled with dill. The result is a flavourful recipe that tastes as good as it looks.

Recipe commissioned by Albert Bartlett. 

Salsify (pronounced salsifee) is a thin root vegetable that tastes delicately of artichoke. It's popular in Italy, France and Germany and the versatile vegetable can be boiled, baked, steamed and roasted. It's not that common in the UK at the moment, though it was well-known in Victorian times. 

You can use it much in the same way as parsnip - whether as a roasted veg side dish, in a stew or pureed. 

I hadn't tried it before, so I was delighted when Albert Bartlett got in touch and asked me to try it out and come up with a salsify recipe. Obviously, I love my veggies, so I'm always very excited to try out something new. I've been seriously impressed  with how versatile it is and with it's firm texture and lovely subtle flavour. 

I decided to share this veg with you through a pretty galette crowned with a circle of salsify batons. The creamed kale complements the mild root veg beautifully. This free-form pastry galette is a quick and delicious main meal or side dish that's very simple to make.

The pastry is layered with cheddar cheese, then a thick pile of creamed kale. On top, spears of salsify roast as the galette cooks. I've then drizzled it with a horseradish cream and sprinkled it with fresh dill. It's packed with flavour and veg, plus it's a pretty way to show of the relatively unknown salsify. 

Salsify

What is salsify

Salsify (pronounced salsifee) is a long, thin root vegetable with a subtle, delicate pleasant flavour similar to artichokes, with a very slight aniseed/liquorice undertone. Some people find that it even has a subtle flavour of oysters when it's cooked.

Popular in continental Europe, this versatile root can be boiled, steamed, roasted, sauteed, baked or eaten raw as long as you wash it peel and then grate it or chop it finely. You can even eat the skin if you wash it well. 

It also has a decorative and edible purple / pink flower and harvest is usually between late September and December. There are two varieties – black and white. This black salsify looks like a dirty skinny parsnip, but peeling the dark skinned root reveals a bright white interior.

Albert Bartlett Salsify

Allotment holders and avid gardeners may have come across salsify already. It occasionally turns up in vegetable boxes, but now Albert Bartlett (the family company who have been supplying the UK with potatoes since 1948) have supplied their UK-grown salsify to the shelves of Waitrose.

The main Albert Bartlett crop is black salsify grown in Cambridgeshire and in the sandy soil of Ayrshire but will include a small amount of white.

Salsify contains fibre, Vitamin C, B6, folate, potassium, manganese and a little bit of protein, calcium & iron. Nutritionally, it has been likened to kale, particularly in that it is low in calories and great for your digestive system.

"We are excited to be introducing Albert Bartlett Salsify to our range of root vegetables in a number of our branches. Salsify is a largely forgotten vegetable that was favoured in Victorian England due to its versatility, especially during the winter months. Over recent years we have seen many of the traditional cuts of meat come back into favour and we hope that customers will feel the same about Salsify and enjoy this vegetable once again." - Gary Grace, Vegetable Buyer at Waitrose & Partners

Find out more about salsify, plus get recipe from Michel Roux Jr, from Albert Bartlett. 

How to prepare salsify

First, you need to wash the salsify, then peel it. The flesh browns easily, but this can be stopped by simply plunging the peeled salsify into a bowl of cold water with a dash of lemon juice or vinegar.

When peeling, it can naturally release a bit of sap, so those with sensitive skin may wish to peel it with kitchen gloves. I didn't feel the need and just washed the tiny bit of sticky sap from my hands after peeling. 

Then, you can boil, sautée, fry, grate, roast etc... or even have it raw in a coleslaw!

Watch how Michel Roux Jr prepares salsify for Michelin-starred La Gavroche. Hint, it's super easy and looks delicious.

How to make Salsify Kale Galette with Horseradish Sauce and Dill - Step by Step Tutorial

This pretty dish is actually really quick and easy to make. You could make your own pastry, but I 'cheated' and used store bought to make it even easier.
Make it vegan: use dairy free cream and butter in the creamed kale, dairy free cheese in the base (or omit) and look for vegan pastry (many are accidentally vegan).
Make it gluten free: use gluten-free pastry

For the creamed kale:
Step 1: Cook the onions in oil and butter until soft, then add the garlic and cook for a further minute. 
Step 2: Add the chopped kale.
Step 3: Cook until the kale is soft and wilted. 
Step 4: Stir in the creme fraiche (or sour cream or dairy free alternative). Set aside. 

To prepare the salsify:
Step 1: Wash the salsify and prepare a bowl of cold water with a squeeze of lemon (to prevent the salsify browning)
Step 2: Peel the salsify and trim the ends. Cut into batons and leave in the lemon water until ready to use. 

To assemble the galette:
Step 1: Roll out the pastry into a large circle. 
Step 2: Sprinkle the bottom with cheese, leaving a 1" edge for folding. 
Step 3: Spread the creamed kale on top. 
Step 4: Place the salsify batons on top decoratively. 

Step 5: Fold the edges up, pleating at intervals. 
Step 6: Brush the edge of the pastry with beaten egg and the salsify with oil. Bake for 25 minutes. 
Step 7: Mix the horseradish cream and creme fraiche until a drizzling consistency. 
Step 8: Drizzle the horseradish sauce over the galette and sprinkle with fresh dill. 

Get the Salsify Kale Galette Recipe

Salsify Kale Galette with Horseradish Cream

In this pretty salsify kale galette, salsify - a root vegetable, rests on a bed of creamed kale inside a free-form pastry crust. It's then drizzled with horseradish sauce and sprinkled with dill. The result is a flavourful recipe that tastes as good as it looks.

5 from 8 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Meal

Cuisine: British, French, International

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 6

323 kcal

Author: Kate Hackworthy | Veggie Desserts

Ingredients

• 375 g (12 oz) package store bought shortcrust pastry

For the creamed kale

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 150 g (2 cups) kale
• 5 tbsp creme fraiche or sour cream
• Salt and pepper

For the galette

• 200 g (approx 6 roots) salsify
• 4 tbsp shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 handful dill roughly chopped
• 1 egg beaten

For the horseradish sauce

• 2 tbsp creme fraiche
• 3 tsp horseradish cream

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 200c/400f. 

For the salsify

• To prepare the salsify, first wash it thoroughly. Prepare a large bowl of water, with a few tbsp of lemon juice or white vinegar in it (this will stop the salsify from discolouring).
• Trim the ends, then use a vegetable peeler to peel the salsify. It can naturally release sap, so you may wish to wear kitchen gloves. Immediately put the peeled salsify into the bowl of lemon water.
• Cut each salsify into even sized batons, about 10 cm long. If the roots are thick, cut them lengthwise to ensure even cooking. Return the salsify to the lemon water.

For the creamed kale

• Heat the oil and butter in a large saute pan, then add the onion and cook for 3 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
• Remove any woody stems from the kale and discard, then roughly chop the leaves and add them to the pan and cook, stirring often, for a few minutes until wilted.
• Remove from the heat, allow to cool slightly, then stir in the creme fraiche and season with salt and pepper.

To assemble

• Roll out the pastry on a large piece of baking paper, to make a 10” circle.
• Spread the grated/shredded cheese onto the pastry, leaving an edge of about 1”. Spread the creamed kale onto the cheese. Add the salsify decoratively, still leaving the edge.
• Fold the edges of the dough up and over the filling. Brush the edges of the pastry with the egg, and brush the salsify with a little oil. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes or until golden.

For the horseradish sauce

• Mix the ingredients together until combined. Taste and add more horseradish if you like it hotter. Serve the galette drizzled with the sauce and sprinkled with the chopped dill.

Recipe Tips

The nutritional information provided is approximate and is created with online calculators. Info will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 323kcal Carbohydrates: 37g Protein: 9g Fat: 15g Saturated Fat: 6g Cholesterol: 49mg Sodium: 422mg Potassium: 235mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 1g Vitamin A: 2780IU Vitamin C: 32.3mg Calcium: 141mg Iron: 2.6mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @kateveggiedesserts or tag #veggiedesserts!

The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.

Thanks for checking out my recipe! I love hearing from my readers. You all allow me to do what I love and write this UK food blog, sharing vegetarian and vegan recipes, vegetable cake recipes and also easy vegan desserts.
Kate x

Disclosure: This salsify recipe was commissioned by Albert Bartlett. All opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that make it possible for me to write Veggie Desserts.