The renaissance in farmers market has opened our eyes to all sorts of heirloom produce and forgotten vegetables. Some unusual vegetable varieties grow regionally or have short seasons, others are simply aren't widely cultivated. But unfamiliar vegetables have a knack for enlivening menus and piquing our interest in the meal ahead, so grab them at the market whenever you find them. To get you started, this guide will help steer you towards interesting vegetables, and ways to use them.
1. Celeriac aka Celery Root
© Flickr User Flushboy
Knobby celeriac may not be the most beautiful root vegetable on the outside, but peel away the bumpy brown skin, and you'll find a creamy colored root vegetable. It roasts or mashes beautifully, and has a sweet, earthy flavor with celery undertones.
2. Cranberry Beans
Cranberry beans lose their gorgeous vermillion mottling when cooked, but they've got a mild, almost nutty flavor and smooth, yielding texture that's great in a variety of dishes. Buy them fresh and shell them yourself, and you'll find they cook much quicker than dried beans.
3. Fiddlehead Ferns
© 2009 Miri Rotkovitz
Fiddleheads have a very brief season, but aficionados of the curlicue ferns wait all year for the fresh, almost grassy-flavored greens. Simple preparations highlight fiddleheads best, as in the recipes below:
4. Garlic Scapes
Garlic scapes are the shoots that grow from hardnecked garlic varieties. Harvesting them allows the garlic bulbs to grow well, but they're too delicious to discard. The curly scapes have a mild garlicky flavor and a fresh crunch that's great in everything from salads to pesto.
5. Kohlrabi
© Flickr User cliff1066™
Kohlrabi's alien external appearance belies its pale green, refreshingly crunchy interior. Equally good raw or cooked, kohlrabi has a flavor akin to broccoli stems with a mildly peppery snap.
6. Romanesco Cauliflower
© Flickr User Joe Shlabotnik
Perhaps the most captivating cruciferous vegetable, Romanesco's florets swirl up in fractal patterns. Sweeter and nuttier than regular cauliflower, Romanesco is delicious roasted, or added to soup.
7. Sorrel
Sorrel has fresh, lemony overtones and a peppery bite that makes it a welcome addition to salads, sauces, and fish dishes.