Cooking forgotten vegetables – Crosnes in a few recipes

A strange shape not necessarily appetizing… Here is the crosne, a root vegetable that you had surely forgotten and which is also called Chinese artichoke! Find crosne in a few quick and simple recipes.

Delicious winter vegetables originating from Japan, crosnes have a little sweet taste reminiscent of Jerusalem artichokes, artichokes or salsify… We rarely find them on the stalls, but if you are lucky enough to come across them, don’t hesitate and let yourself be tempted because root vegetable looks pretty amazing!

How to cook crosnes?

Pour prepare the crosnes before putting them in your recipe, there is no need to peel them. Rub them tubers in a cloth with a little coarse salt to loosen the particles of dry skin, then rinse them in water with lemon juice so that they do not oxidize and retain their white flesh, then dry them GOOD.

They can be enjoyed cooked like Jerusalem artichoke, another forgotten vegetable which is coming back to the forefront, or the potato. Very easy and quick to cook, we eat them and salad seasoned with mayonnaise, pan friedin soup, in puree or even in pickles.

Cooking crosnes in salted water

Bring a large volume of salted water to the boil in a large saucepan and add the crosnes. When it starts boiling again, cook for 5-10 minutes then drain the vegetables in a colander.

Steaming crosnes

Place the prepared crosnes – as explained above – in the basket of your steamer. Add the water, place the basket in the appliance and close it. Leave to cook for 10 minutes.

Season them with salt and pepper before eating them. You can enjoy them as is, in a salad or brown them in butter or with chopped parsley and garlic. Also prepare them as gratin, with cream or béchamel.

You can check the crosnes for cooking by inserting the tip of a knife into them. If it fits easily, the crosne is cooked. All you have to do is taste it.

Pan-fried crosnes recipe

First blanch the crosnes in boiling water (see above) then drain carefully. Heat a little fat in a frying pan, add the crosnes and bring back over high heat, stirring constantly. Once all the moisture has evaporated, add salt and pepper, add a little chopped parsley and chopped garlic, then cook covered for 5 minutes.

You can also choose to cook them directly in the pan by sautéing them in butter. When cooking begins, cover and cook over low heat for around twenty minutes, stirring regularly. Add a little water if necessary.
When your crosnes are cooked, remove the lid and turn up the heat to lightly brown them.

Crosnes with cream recipe

You can prepare a creamy sauce to serve the crosnes: beat an egg yolk with crème fraîche, salt, pepper and pour over the vegetables in the frying pan. Stir constantly to prevent boiling again.

Honey-lemon crosnes recipe

Once the crosnes have been blanched, melt a little butter in a pan. Add lemon juice and a large teaspoon of honey. Leave to brown for about 5 minutes, season and serve.

Melt the butter, add the lemon juice, honey, then the crosnes. Leave to brown for 7 minutes, then season.

Crosne du Japon: pickle recipe

Clean the crosnes and cut off the ends of the tubers. Dip them in water with lemon juice to rinse them then blanch them in boiling water with vinegar until they become tender.

Chorogi or Japanese crosne, festive recipe © studio presence

Recette de chorogi gomazu zuke

For 100 g of crosnes, dilute 100 ml of rice vinegar and 4 tablespoons of sugar in a jar.
Drain the vegetables and immerse them in the sweet vinegar while they are still hot. Close the jar and set aside for between 3 days and a week.

Before serving, mix 2 tablespoons of white sesame paste with a little soaking vinegar and 1/2 tablespoon of soy sauce. Add the well-drained crosnes then 1 to 3 tablespoons of sesame seeds and mix well.

In Japan, the chorogi (crosnes in Japanese) are served for end-of-year festivities, often colored red thanks to leaves of shiso (or perilla, an aromatic plant that resembles nettle).

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