Darina Allen: Delve into the versatile, curious world of winter vegetables with these recipes

Roast oca tubers are particularly delicious with roast duck goose or pork or added to a winter salad.

This year we grew several ‘new’ winter vegetables, For the curious, creative cook and home gardener, winter vegetables are particularly useful.

We love all the kales, romanesco, leeks, and my favourite winter tuber, Jerusalem artichokes (Helianthus tuberosus). It’s the knobbly rhizome that keeps on giving. In the US, they are referred to as sunchokes.
Every year, I wax lyrical about them, encourage you to plant some and I’m so enthusiastic that I have even offered to give a little bagful for free to get you started. 

The offer still stands but you’ll have to make the trip to Shanagarry to collect them as many did last year. Where you plant one in your garden this year, you’ll have 8 to 10 hidden underneath next year, how wonderful is nature?

Despite their name, they are not even related to globe artichokes (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus), they’re part of the sunflower family and will have a pretty yellow flower later in the year, fantastic for large flower arrangements. 

But have you heard of my relatively new find, a vegetable called oca? They are sometimes referred to as New Zealand yams, they also are a curvaceous, colourful tuber, but can be yellow, reddish pink, or purple. The variety we grew produced delicious orangey tubers.

They too, like Jerusalem artichokes, are super versatile and can be boiled, roasted, fried or eaten raw. They give a delicious crunch to salads and because oca are related to oxalis, the clover-like leaves are also edible, reminiscent of sorrel.

Oca has been a staple in the Andean countries for centuries, a vitamin and mineral-rich superfood, second only to potatoes in importance and super easy to grow.
They have a pleasing lemony flavour when cooked and readily take on other flavours, herbs, spices and chilli.

Cardoons are another, perhaps, unusual new seasons’ vegetable native to the Mediterranean region but they grow brilliantly in my garden in East Cork. A particular favourite of the Italians. 

Even though they are related to globe artichokes, they are completely different, it’s the stalks we eat not the unopened flowerheads. They are grown for their edible, celery like stems and jagged, architectural silvery grey foliage which is often used as a design feature in the garden and by florists for their purple, thistle like flowers. 

Bees, bumblebees and other insects absolutely adore them according to Hannah Bäckmo of Hanna’s bees. Even though they’re perennial, cardoons take a bit of looking after. 

We wrap the stems in brown or newspaper a few weeks before harvesting to blanch and tenderise the stems and counteract some of the bitterness.

The thick fleshy stems are super nutritious and have a slightly bitter, nutty flavour, reminiscent of globe artichokes which I absolutely relish.

They can be braised or boiled, added to gratins, tagines and hearty casseroles, stewed, deep fried as fritters, or nibbled raw.

But first cut off the ends, remove the tough outer leaves and use the vegetable peeler to shave off fibrous strings and spines from the ribs, then cut the stalk into 2.5-5cm pieces before blanching in a large pot of boiling salted water with a squirt of lemon juice or vinegar for 10 to 15 minutes until tender. 

Transfer to an ice bath to stop the cooking, drain well, before proceeding with your chosen recipe.

Finally, there are feisty black radishes, I first came across them in Romania several years ago. They were in every market and virtually everyone’s shopping basket and the Romanians swore that they had miracle powers, protection against winter colds and flu, anti-inflammatory…

Since then, I’ve checked it out and many of their claims are indeed backed up by science. 

They are an excellent detox helping with liver detoxification, could be good news after Christmas– they also boost the immune system and are particularly beneficial for respiratory issues.

They grow to the size of a small turnip and have a feisty radish flavour when eaten raw but more mellow when cooked. Try this delicious recipe Rory O’Connell made for us last week.

Rory O'Connell's Black Radish with Marjoram

recipe by:Darina Allen

Black radish is a vegetable that is not nearly as well-known in this part of the world as it should be. It is only recently that I have begun to cook the brutish looking root that would not win any prizes in a vegetable beauty pageant. Previously, I have

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 30 mins

Total Time

 40 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 25-30g butter

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 500g black radish, weighed after peeling and cut into neat 1.5cm dice

• 2 tbsp water

• 1-2 tbsp marjoram leaves chopped

• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Melt the butter and olive oil in a low-sided saucepan and allow to foam.

2. Add in the prepared radish and season with salt and pepper.

3. Toss the vegetables to coat them in the fat and seasoning and add 2 tablespoons of water.

4. Place a disc of greaseproof paper on top to cover and follow with a tight fitting saucepan lid.

5. Bring to a simmer and cook on a very gentle heat for 30 minutes approx. or until tender but still holding their shape.

6. Do make sure to cook enough and equally do not overcook and reduce to a mush.

7. You will need to test the vegetable with a skewer or small knife to make sure they are sufficiently cooked. If there is surplus liquid remaining in the saucepan once the vegetables are cooked, remove the lid and boil to reduce to a delicious syrupy glaze.

8. Stir in the chopped marjoram just before serving having tasted to ensure seasoning is correct. Serve hot in a hot serving dish.

9. Radish Leaves

10. If the leaves are still attached to the radishes, that is a great and delicious bonus.

11. I simply remove the tough central rib, wash the leaves well and cook uncovered until tender in boiling salted water.

12. Strain well and chop coarsely before adding to the cooked radish dish above at the same time as the marjoram.

Cardi Fritti (Cardoon Fritters)

recipe by:Darina Allen

This crispy fritter batter works brilliantly for many vegetables such as courgette or aubergine.

Servings

8

Preparation Time

 2 hours 10 mins

Cooking Time

 40 mins

Total Time

 2 hours 50 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 1 bunch of cardoons (450g approx.)

• 1 lemon

• oil for frying

• coarse salt

• For the batter:

• 125g plain flour

• ½ tsp instant yeast

• good pinch of salt

• 200-250ml water more or less (one could use sparkling water but, in that case, use the batter immediately)

• To cook the cardoons:

• 1 tsp salt

• 600ml water

• 1 dsp of plain flour

• To serve:

• flaky sea salt

• lemon wedges

• flat parsley

• Aioli (optional)

Method

1. Sieve the flour, yeast and salt together in a mixing bowl. Whisk in enough water to make a smooth, pourable batter.

2. Cover the bowl and allow to rest in your warm kitchen for at least two hours.

3. Use a paring knife or peeler to trim the cardoons stalks of their leaves and prickly bits along the edges.

4. Use a peeler to remove any stringy and discoloured bits.

5. After you finish trimming each stalk, cut it into 7.5cm lengths approx. (or whatever size you like) and immediately pop into a large bowl of cold water with juice of a freshly squeezed lemon or vinegar otherwise, it may discolour.

6. Add the salt to cold water in a saucepan, whisk in the flour. Bring to the boil, simmer the cardoons until the pieces are just tender. They should have a trace of a "bite" to them and have lost their bitterness, 5-20 minutes.

7. The cooking time will depend on the thickness and whether it is early or late in the season.

8. Drain the cardoons and place on a tray lined with kitchen paper until ready to eat.

9. To serve, heat enough extra virgin olive oil in a pan to come at least 3cm from the bottom. The oil should be very hot but not smoking (180°C approx.).

10. Dip the cardoon pieces into the batter, shake off the excess batter and fry them in the hot oil turning, when necessary, until golden brown on both sides (3-4 minutes).

11. When they are cooked, transfer the fried cardoon pieces to a tray lined with kitchen paper.

12. Immediately sprinkle the fried cardoons with flaky sea salt, garnish with a little flat parsley. Serve right away, with lemon wedges or a bowl of aoili.

Roast Oca

recipe by:Darina Allen

These curvaceous tubers are particularly delicious with roast duck goose or pork or added to a winter salad.

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 20 mins

Total Time

 30 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 450g oca, washed but unpeeled (scrub well)

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• salt and freshly ground black pepper

• lots of thyme leaves or freshly chopped rosemary

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/Gas Mark 7.

2. Cut the oca in half lengthwise and dry in a tea towel. Toss in just enough extra virgin olive oil to coat.

3. Sprinkle with lots of fresh thyme leaves or chopped rosemary.

4. Place on a roasting tray, cut side down. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

5. Roast until nicely golden, 20 minutes approx. depending on size or until tender when pierced with a fork.

6. Sprinkle a little flaky sea salt and some fresh herbs over the top.

Seasonal Journal

Festival of Garden and Nature, May 2-3

I love this festival. Tickets are now on sale for the 2026 Festival of Garden and Nature. It takes place at beautiful Ballintubbert Gardens and House in Stradbally, Co. Laois over the bank holiday weekend in May (2nd & 3rd).

A two-day festival of talks, workshops, demos, garden tours and more. It is all about discovering the latest ideas for creating an ecologically sustainable and beautiful garden and appreciating our natural surroundings with more understanding.

festivalofgardensandnature.com

Foraged Food in Season

Sea spinach, Sea beet.

There’s lots of sea spinach along the seashore and cliffs at the moment. It’s common around the coast of Ireland, the shores of England, Wales and far west Scotland.

If you live near a rocky strand, look out for sea spinach - its shiny green leaves are unmistakable. 

It is, in fact, the ancestor to most cultivated varieties of beet, from beetroot to spinach beet. 

It can be cooked exactly like garden spinach and used in the same way, for example, try serving it in Middle Eastern style with raisins and pine kernels and a touch of cinnamon. 

Not surprisingly, because sea spinach is washed by the tides, it is full of iodine, minerals and other trace elements and it has an addictive salty tang. 

Sea spinach is tougher and slightly stronger in flavour than garden spinach, so it takes a little longer to cook.