Trim the tops off witloof chicory roots before replanting them in sand in the root cellar.
Roots: the prime decision-makers for life on this planet.
Fra de Berlanga
quoted by Charles Morrow Wilson
in Roots: Miracles Below
In addition to the solid, hearty mainstay roots — the beets, carrots, and potatoes — of any root cellaring program, there are certain kinds of roots that can provide you with tender, delicate, brand-new green salad shoots. These fresh-cut morsels make super first-hand eating during winter’s coldest months. They are, in fact, gourmet fare that can only be found — and then irregularly — in the most expensive city grocery shops. But you can grow them yourself, from homely roots you’ve set aside for this purpose.
We’re talking about the process of forcing roots, which we prefer to think of as encouraging the roots to do what comes naturally to them — sprout. Fleshy roots store up tremendous reserves of energy, and when they’ve been frozen to break their dormancy, brought into a warmish place, supported by soil, and watered, they put all that stored goodness into making new green shoots. That’s what forcing vegetables is all about. The leaves and stalks you get in this way are pale and tender because they’ve been grown indoors away from the light. While it is true that deep green leaves are richer in vitamins, these delicacies still contribute a texture and food value that would otherwise be difficult to come by in January. And they are delicious!
Asparagus. If your asparagus bed needs thinning, here’s a way to get a bonus from those extra plants (or you could raise plants from seed especially for forcing). Large roots are best. They should be at least three years old. Dig the roots up in the fall before the ground freezes hard. Replant them in boxes or pails of soil. Keep them in a cold shed or garage for several weeks. Freezing helps to encourage them to break out of their dormancy, but it is not essential. To encourage roots to sprout into short, tender asparagus spears, bring the planted box or bucket into a warmish place, 60 to 65 degrees F. Water the soil about once a week but be sure that it does not get waterlogged. Keep the box warm. Light won’t hurt, but it is not necessary. Snap off the spears as soon as they appear. You won’t be overrun with them, but a dozen roots should give two people a taste of spring for several winter weeks.
Belgian Endive (also called Witloof Chicory). If you’ve ever shaken your head over the price of this delicacy in some swanky specialty store, you’ll find it hard to believe that these creamy crisp sprouts are so easy to grow. You need to plan ahead, have a supply of old buckets and bureau drawers, and set aside a few square feet of space where you can mess around with soil and sawdust, but other than that it’s just a matter of following these simple steps:
Trim the tops off witloof chicory roots before replanting them in sand in the root cellar.
You’ll need a temperature of at least 50 degrees F to induce sprouting. Aim for 50 to 60 degrees. A first-floor room somewhat out of range of the wood stove seems to be just right for us. Water the roots once a week. They start to sprout, a few at a time, in three to five weeks. When the tips start to show through the sawdust, you’ll know that the crisp, delicate, blanched salad heads are ready to eat. Cut them from the root and serve them that very day.
You can even get a second cutting of smaller shoots if you are careful not to damage the root crown when you cut off the first shoots. And, although the roots are too worn out to force again after you’ve sprouted them once or twice, you could roast and grind them for chicory coffee before you discard them.
If you don’t have any deep containers, you can put the roots down flat, side by side, on a three-inch layer of soil and cover them with the damp sawdust, as described above.
For early spring crops from roots left in the garden row, heap manure and straw or sawdust over the row and watch for the pointed shoots to poke through.
Dandelion. Freebie salads can come from the lawn. Dig up good strong dandelion roots in the fall and treat them just like witloof chicory, proceeding from step two on. You’ll get tender blanched sprouts in about the same time.
Rhubarb. Though a little bulkier, rhubarb is not more difficult than Belgian endive. The important thing to remember is that rhubarb must live through a good freeze before it will sprout. So you dig the roots in late fall while the ground will still admit a shovel. Large, strong roots, two to three years old, are best. Some gardeners refrain from taking spring stalks from roots they intend to force the following fall. Leave a ball of soil clinging to the roots, remove the dead leaves, and put the roots in a bucket or carton. Keep them in a shed or garage where they’ll be protected from rain but not from cold. The roots should hibernate in the cold for at least six weeks. Then, when your thoughts are turning toward spring, lug in the lumpy buckets and keep them in a warmish place — 55 to 60 degrees F. Light won’t hurt, but it isn’t necessary. Within a month the tender pink stalks will push up under crumpled yellow leaves. Strong roots should yield about two pounds each.
You can also force rhubarb in the garden by placing a bottomless bushel basket or crate over each crown and heaping manure around the basket. Cover the open top with glass or clear plastic to keep the heat in.
Sea Kale. This cabbagelike green vegetable may be persuaded to send up four- to five-inch shoots if treated like witloof chicory. Be sure to keep it in the dark, as the leaves are bitter when exposed to the light.
Parsnips. These leaves are edible. If you have extra parsnips, or some are starting to sprout anyway, poke the roots into a tub of soil and pick the greens. They needn’t be covered with sawdust to blanch them.
Beets. Treat these like parsnips if you have extra or some are going soft.