Burdock, Arthur Ross Pinetum, Central Park
“Burdock is a delicious gourmet vegetable that’s popular in Japan, China and Korea, where it’s called gobo. It’s very, very delicious, and you can harvest it from early spring to late fall. The leaves are very rough, so they’re only delicious to goats or iguanas. The tap root, however, can be cleaned, sliced razor-thin and cooked in oil with sliced ginger and carrots for a fine dish. Add mirin or wine and cook it for 15 to 20 minutes. Then add toasted sesame seeds.”
Christian Johnston