The recipe was sent by Zivile Kubiliene from the Lithuanian social organization – Open Lithuania Foundation. Zivile’s husband works as a chef in a trendy Vilnius restaurant, therefore the recipe is more demanding, yet the result is worth the effort. 

Ingredients:

• 200 g black salsify (scorzonera)
• 150 ml cream
• 30 ml brine from fermented gherkins
• 25 g speck (Italian ham), or tofu for vegetarians
• 30 g sour apple
• 10 g white onion

Preparation:

1. Peel the salsify and place it in ice water so it doesn’t turn brown. Cut it into 10-12 cm pieces.
2. Bring heavily salted water to a boil in a pot. Put the salsify in for 2 minutes, quickly take it out and put it back in the cold water to stop the cooking process.
3. Cut the ham into paper-thin slices. Place them on baking paper and put them in the fridge. (For the vegetarian option, cut the tofu into thin slices, fry in a bit of olive oil or bake in the oven until crispy. Drain excess oil on paper).
4. Cut the apples into thin slices. Place them in water with a splash of lemon juice. Slice the onions very thinly, too.
5. Pour the cream into a small pot. Bring to a boil and remove from the heat. Add a pinch of salt. Pour in the brine from the fermented gherkins and stir. Finally, pour in a little olive oil. Set aside.
6. Put the pan on the heat and add a splash of olive oil. Throw in the salsify and fry until golden brown.
7. Take a nice deep plate. Spoon the cream sauce on the bottom, place the hot salsify inside and top with a slice of ham. Place a little apple and onion on top. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.