Help identify this vegetable
I am in northern Italy now (Torino to be precise) and I tried a wonder new vegetable last night. In Italian, the name starts with an "A." It was a green leafy vegetable and tasted similar to spinach. On the plate (it was sauteed in butter), it looked a bit like seaweed--long and thin. But if you spread out the leaves, you saw several thin long leaves branching out from the sides.
Can you help me identify this vegetable? I'd love to order it again or maybe even grow it at home.
Thank you!
By mielimato
on May 17, 2008 02:02 AM
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Could it have been Amaranth greens?
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For for some reason the photo did not attach.... look at this link: There are several photos of the greens....
http://images.google.com/images?sourc...
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Sounds to me like Arugula
Check out this link to see if maybe it is, it is very common in Italian Cuisine.
http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/arugula.htm
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Thanks for you suggestions but I don't think it was either. I've had arugula before...this vegetable was a lot more mild in flavor, almost like spinach. Not Amaranth greens either, although I didn't know Italians ate Amaranth. I know Amaranth from Asian cuisine but never knew what they were called in English so thanks!
Sorry if my description of the vegetable is not to detailed. I'll ask around today to see if I can get more clues...
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could it broccoli rabe
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Some semi-educated guesses: a turnip green, nettles, swiss chard.
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Ok, found the name of the vegetable. It is called Agrette which is either in Italian or in Piedmontese dialect. It is also called "Monks' beard." Online, I've seen it described as a green chive like vegetable that is used in salads and risottos.
This is my first encounter with this vegetable. Has anyone tried this before? What's the english name for this vegetable? Is this common in other parts of the world?
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hi mielimato, i've never come across it in the US before, though it's more common at italian restaurants in London. oddly, the first time i ever tried it was at the LSE cafeteria (not known to be a hotbed of fine dining)! i'm more familiar with it braised, not in a salad.
there's apparently an oregon nursery where you can order seeds once you're back in the US: http://www.nicholsgardennursery.com/store/product.asp?dept_id=79&pf_id=1150&mscssid=PHN1WKN
according to that site, it's also called 'Herb Stella, Minutina, or Buck's Horn Plantain'.
and apparently, you can order it from this LA supplier: http://www.theproducehunter.com/produ...
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Thank you! These are great resources!
Reading through your links, however, I think Agrette is different from the Herb Stella. I just did a search the more common Italian name, Barba di Frete, and found the following: The latin name for the plant is Salsola soda. It is more commonly known (in English) as Opposite Leaved Saltwort, Oppositeleaf Russian Thistle, or Barilla Plant. Apparently it is a succulent shrub found in the Mediterranean basin.
Walking through the markets in Torino, I did see plants that look liked Herb Stella but did not know what it was. So now I know another new plant as well. Thanks!
http://www.seedsofitaly.com/product/369
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salsola_...
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hey, thanks so much for sharing your research, mielimato!
i must say that the picture they have up for "salsola soda" in wikipedia doesn't look very delicious, tho... rather a lot like a pine tree. ;)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salsola_...
if you get to try herb stella (plantago coronopus) from the market, will you report back on whether it tastes anything like barilla plant?
love your posts from the southern European front. please keep 'em coming!
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I agree, the photo on wikipedia does look pretty unappetizing! I've seen plants like that growing on the beaches here and had no idea that they were edible.
The version that I ate and saw in markets looked more like this, which is a lot greener and leafier: http://images.google.es/imgres?imgurl...
If I have to opportunity to try herb stella, I will definitely report about it! Thanks for your compliments!
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