What Are These?

In this picture they sort of look like unhealthy sweet potatoes, but they aren't.

I was at the market a few days ago and I was buying some late Winter Parsnips from my favorite farm stand, the Gorzynski Ornery Farm a former organic farmer in 2002, John Gorzynski dropped his organic certification for the farm in protest of the newly enacted federal standards and changed the name of his business from “Gorzynski Organic Farm” to “Gorzynski Ornery Farm.”  His produce is the most untouched of any you will find anywhere in NYC.

So there I was buying some parsnips and the son of farmer John and Sue has me have a taste of the above pictured dirty root bulb, at first he called it something and I just gave him a blank stare.

"It's Dahlia tubers.  They taste great raw in salads"

So I bought a bunch and washed, peel and sliced them and WOW they taste like local Jicama.  I tossed them with orange slices and a lime vinaigrette and placed them over watercress sprinkling them with
Tajin a dried pepper and lime mixture I bought in Mexico.  After doing some research I learn that not all Dahlia tubers are created equal some can be spicy others bland, but heritage Dahlias tend to taste best.  If you have a garden and grow Dahlias you might want to give these a try otherwise take a look at your local farmers market you never know what you might find!