UniqueVegetables 2

Unique Vegetables: 

Unique Vegetables Fruit & pods Okra Ground berries Tomatilla, strawberry tomato, cape gooseberry Roots & stems Kohlrabi Celeriac Fennel

What makes a vegetable unique?: 

What makes a vegetable unique? Not widely grown by gardeners Why? Part of a specific cuisine Okra – _________ cuisine Fennel – Italian cuisine ____________ – Mexican cuisine Difficult to grow Okra – ____________ seed & hot temperatures Celeriac – even soil moisture Unusual or acquired taste Strawberry ___________ __________ ___________

Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus): 

Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) Originated near present day __________ Okra means “lady’s fingers” in Igbo Introduced into New World directly from _______ Same botanical family as ______ and _______ Seed must be ________ overnight before planting and seed do not germinate well in cool soils

Okra: 

Okra Okra is among the most _______- and _______-tolerant vegetable Harvest pods when very young before they get ________ Pods grow very rapidly so requires frequent harvesting

Okra: 

Okra Uses Stir-fried in Japanese cuisine Thickening agent in ______, chilli, and soups ____________ properties ________ and deep fried Pickled

Ground cherry or husk tomato (Physalis): 

Ground cherry or husk tomato (Physalis) Origin in ______________ Ancient Native Americas preferred Physalis species more than tomatoes Are in a genus related to tomato They product abundant small fruit that are surrounded by a ________ covering like a gift _________ season vegetables Examples Tomatillo, strawberry tomato, Cape gooseberry

Tomatillo (Physalis ixocarpa): 

Tomatillo (Physalis ixocarpa) Are native to ________ Very popular ingredient in ________ foods, especially in the form of sauces Salsa ________ (green sauce) Growing practices similar to tomato Transplanted Seed only lasts __ years

Tomatillo: 

Tomatillo Harvested when full size, has a firm consistency, and apex of _____ begins to break Preparation Raw in salsa ________ for sauces _________ enhances flavor and softens skin _________ can cause soupy consistency because fruit collapses Young tomatillo Mature tomatillo Salsa verde

Strawberry tomato (Physalis pubescens): 

Strawberry tomato (Physalis pubescens) Is the _______ form that is not widely grown _________ germinates and grows Around July the fruit will begin to drop to the ground and should be gathered When ripe has a ______ flavor similar to that of a strawberry or tomato/pineapple

Strawberry tomato: 

Strawberry tomato Will _________ to ripen after harvest Fully mature fruit are soft and sweet Can be stored in the refrigerator for several months Uses Salad Desserts Dipped in ________ Flavoring Jellies and jams

Cape GooseberryPhysalis peruviana: 

Cape Gooseberry Physalis peruviana Has superior fruit compared to strawberry tomato Native to _______ and _______ and more commonly grown in warmer climates Does not tolerate ______ or wet soils Grown from seed

Cape Gooseberry: 

Cape Gooseberry Harvesting Fruit takes ___ to ___ days to mature Can ____ plant and gather fallen fruit A plant can produce 300 fruit Are ________ before using or storing Uses Canned, jam, sauces, pies, puddings,chutneys, & fresh

Kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes): 

Kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes) Originated in northern ______ in 15th century Flavor similar to ______ but milder & sweeter Same species as ________

Kohlrabi: 

Kohlrabi Cool season vegetable but tolerates _____ better than most others in cabbage family Stem remains short and swells forming an edible _______ _______ – two colors White or pale green Purple – only skin, interior flesh is white

Kohlrabi: 

Kohlrabi What is a _______?

Kohlrabi: 

Kohlrabi A solid, fleshy storage structure formed by enlargement of the ______ base Fast growing Matures in 40 to 70 days Harvesting Best harvested when young up to the size of a _________ _________ Avoid large kohlrabi because of coarse flavor Peeled before cooking because of most of fibers are in the ___________ skin

Kohlrabi Uses: 

Kohlrabi Uses Peel, slice, and eat raw like a radish Kohlrabi slaw Core the kohlrabi and stuff Stir fried kohlrabi Kohlrabi soup

Celeriac (Apium graveolens var. rapaceum): 

Celeriac (Apium graveolens var. rapaceum) Is enlarged, crown-level _________ Used when 10-12 cm diameter Also called celery root or turnip-rooted celery _______ season crop Requires abundant soil _________ for seed germination & growth Difficult to supply in a garden

Celeriac: 

Celeriac Best to ________ before use because _______ _______ is tough and stringy Has a celery-like flavor Uses Flavoring in soups and stews Mashed Casseroles and baked dishes

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare): 

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) Also called finocchio or Florence fennel Native to southern ______ and southwest _________ Used by ancient Romans for medicinal properties Has inflated leaf ______ which form a ____ that is eaten as a vegetable Has mild anise (______)-like flavor Caused by anethole

Fennel: 

Fennel Perennial plant in the ________ family Has a tendency to ______ which causes bulb to split & formation of side ________ Started from seed and encouraged to grow rapidly Takes ___ to ___ months to produce swollen leaf bases

Fennel: 

Fennel Fennel does not do well in ________ soils How improve soil? High quality bulbs should be: ______, white, _____, whole Minimum diameter 5 cm

Fennel: 

Fennel Uses Fresh in salads balancing sweetness with sharpness of onion Fish with fennel Braised fennel Fennel with chicken or meat balls