This unsung root vegetable deserves more attention. It’s sometimes called vegetable oyster or oyster plant because it actually has a hint of that sweet brine. To highlight that unique flavor, I cook these roots in lemon juice and toss them with a lemony beurre fondue.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 8

　　1 pound salsify, trimmed and peeled

　　2 sprigs fresh rosemary

　　3 stems fresh basil, leaves separated and sliced, stems reserved

　　1/4 cup plus 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

　　Kosher salt

　　5 tablespoons unsalted butter

　　1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

　　Freshly ground black pepper

　　

Step 1

Combine the salsify, rosemary, basil stems, 1/4 cup of the lemon juice, 1 tablespoon salt, and 2 cups water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer very gently until the salsify is tender, about 45 minutes. Drain the salsify, and cut into 3-inch-long pieces; halve thicker pieces lengthwise.

　　

Step 2

Combine the butter, cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/3 cup lemon juice, and 1/3 cup water in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking, until the butter melts. Add the salsify and cook, stirring gently, until the sauce thickens and clings to the salsify, about 8 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Season to taste with salt and pepper, divide among serving plates, and top with the basil leaves.

　　Reprinted with permission from Home Cooking with Jean-Georges: My Favorite Simple Recipes by Jean-Georges Vongerichten with Genevieve Ko. Copyright © 2011 by Jean-Georges Vongerichten; photographs copyright © 2011 by John Kernick. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Jean-Georges Vongerichten is one of the most influential chefs in the world, having single-handedly redefined haute French cuisine, lightening and refining it by adding select Asian accents. He is the chef-owner of dozens of restaurants in fourteen cities around the world. His flagship restaurant, Jean Georges, at New York's Columbus Circle, is one of six restaurants in the United States to have been awarded three coveted Michelin stars; it received four stars from the New York Times. The winner of multiple James Beard Foundation awards, he lives in New York City and Waccabuc, New York, with his family.Genevieve Ko is a cookbook author and the senior food editor at Good Housekeeping magazine. She has written for Martha Stewart Living, Gourmet, and Fine Cooking and lives in New York City with her family.