Maybe It’s a Tuber: Crosne

5 from 3 votes
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Finished crosnes recipe, with peas
Photo by Holly A. Heyser

All my life I’ve zigged where others zag. This is especially true in the garden, where I grow bored of carrots and beets and other normal things.

Long-time readers of this site know this, and over the years I’ve occasionally written about the weird things I grow in my little garden. One of this year’s experiments was Stachys affinis, also known by the unappetizing name crosne — pronounced like the old woman — or the better-but-too-exotic Chinese artichoke.

More obscure but far cooler is the name artichoke betony.

I know, I know. They look like grubs. Or tiny Michelin men. Or splorks of vanilla ice cream. Or worse. But c’mon, they still look super cool, right? Who wouldn’t want to surprise someone with a plate full of these? As soon as I saw them, I was hooked. I planted them a year ago, and for the life of me I can’t remember where I bought the tubers.

You do want to plant them as soon as the ground warms, while the tubers are still dormant. Stuck them about 2 to 3 inches into rich soil in a place that gets good sunlight, but a little afternoon shade in hot climates (like mine).

I planted them where some American groundnut vines would shade them; more on that crazy plant later.

Warning 1: A crosne takes a long time to develop tubers, like all year. I did not harvest mine until November, about seven months after I planted them. Warning 2: If you want good tubers, you need to clip the plant, which looks like mint, to about 6 inches all year. Never let it flower. Warning 3: You will never get all the tubers out of your garden, so be prepared for a long-term visitor.

crosne, Chinese artichokes
Photo by Holly A. Heyser

Why bother with them? Because they’re cool little curiosities. Cleaning them requires little more than a strong jet of cool water, and they are just as tasty raw or cooked. They are very close in flavor to water chestnuts, which is to say mild, crunchy and juicy.

Nutritionwise, they are low in everything — carbs, protein, sodium, fat — so you won’t be using them to survive long winters. Like I said, they are a neat accent that is easy to grow.

One of the best accounts of this odd veggie is in a book called Roots: The Definitive Compendium, written by a friend of mine named Diana Morgan. This book is a vast compendium of lore, information and recipes using tubers and roots as mundane as carrots and a bizarre as skirret and konjac. The one piece of information Morgan missed, however, was the keeping time for crosnes: Every source I see says they will only keep a week in the fridge.

Uh, wha? I harvested mine a month ago and they are all just fine, wrapped in a paper towel in a closed container. Hard to see where the week stricture came in.

Morgan’s best piece of info on the crosne is her parboiling trick. Basically she blanches the raw tubers in salty, boiling water for 2 minutes. They’re then shocked in an ice-water bath. This step cooks them just enough for stir-fries, pickles, quick sautes or salads. You don’t want to cook crosnes for a long time because they will get mushy and boring. Mashed crosnes is no taste treat.

Sauteed with peas, garlic, parsley and lemon, however, they make a fun side dish or a vegetarian meal. If you are looking for other inspirations, look to the French and Chinese: They are the largest consumers of this little tuber.

Finished crosnes recipe, with peas
5 from 3 votes

Crosnes and Peas

Your hardest task will be to find crosnes. Large farmers markets will have them in fall and winter, as will specialty markets. Probably easier would be to buy crosnes online. If anyone can located a reliable source for the tubers (for growing), please let me know in the comments section. I like a little drizzle of Oregon White Truffle Oil on this dish, but you could use another truffle oil or just leave it out. I like it because it gives the dish an earthy, luxurious base note underneath the crunch of the crosnes and the brightness of the lemon and parsley.
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: French
Servings: 4 people
Author: Hank Shaw
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 12 ounces of fresh crosnes, any brown spots trimmed off
  • Salt
  • 2 tablespoons duck fat or unsalted butter
  • 3 garlic cloves, sliced thin
  • 4 ounces of peas, fresh or thawed, about 1 cup
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or chives
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • Black pepper to taste
  • White truffle oil, for garnish (optional)

Instructions 

  • Bring a large pot of salty water to a boil and get a bowl of ice water handy. Boil the crosnes for 2 minutes, then move them to the ice water. Remove when cool and set aside.
  • Heat the duck fat in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. When it's hot, add the crosnes and the garlic cloves and toss to coat in the fat. Sprinkle a little salt over everything and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes. Do not let the garlic burn. Add the peas, toss to coat and cook 1 more minute.
  • Turn off the heat and toss in the parsley. Let this wilt for a minute or so, then drizzle over the lemon juice. Grind some black pepper over everything, garnish with the truffle oil and serve.

Notes

You can also serve this as a cold side dish, but if you do, use olive oil instead of duck fat don't add the lemon juice until you are ready to serve.

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this recipe? Tag me today!Mention @huntgathercook or tag #hankshaw!

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About Hank Shaw

Hey there. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet’s largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook.

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41 Comments

  1. At $22 a pound I bought two tiny Crosnes or artichoke betony. I’m about to try one raw and one boiled in salty water. Would they or the related tubers Stachys floridana, i.e. betony root that Adriane talks about be found as far north as New York City?

  2. I too was interested in crosnes after seeing a picture. Imagine my delight when I found that crosne’s close relative, Stachys floridana, aka betony root, grows here in the U.S. Where I am in the Houston, TX area, huge invasive beds of it are everywhere, and I mean EVERYWHERE. Just yesterday, I dug up some of the roots on a sheltered sandy creek bank and found that they look exactly like crosnes. It’s late winter but there were plenty of usable sized roots in about a square foot of space. I could tell that they were very young so will increase in size as the year progresses. I plan to dig some every two weeks or so until I pinpoint the exact best time of harvest for my area.
    BTW, my son and I steamed them briefly then sauteed them in butter, garlic, salt and pepper. DELICIOUS!!! I think it’s something worth looking into for those interested in crosnes. Info on them is readily available on the web. The plants are very easy to identify.

  3. These little guys made me think of Trout Lily bulbs. Any similarity in flavor? I may try this recipe with them as a substitute this spring.

  4. I have been searching the web, (and the nurseries, and the farm stands), trying to find a source for crosnes and for planting instructions. I am so glad to have found your site, and a recipe, now I just have to plant the little buggers!

    And @Lisa; I thought the same thing, the one on the right is laughing!

  5. I have to get some of these, they look so cool and your recipe sounds great. I would love to grow them in my garden too!

  6. I can’t be the only one to think of Kindergarden Cop, so I got to say it. It’s not a tuber. Seriously though, I’ve never seen these in the market. Next time, I got to the asian store I’ll take a look.

  7. i saw these at the produce market and wondered what they were and howw you would use them. great info and recipe looks good!

  8. Hadn’t heard of these before – what a great shape, they look like some sort of novelty pasta! Do they taste a bit like jerusalem artichokes? Their growing habits, especially their tendency to colonise a garden sounds similar. Very tempted to grow and cook them.

  9. I’ve never heard of crosnes and I’m fascinated with them now after reading your post! I grow a small garden and am always looking for new produce to try – will definitely keep an eye out for crosnes!

  10. Interesting little tuber! Like you, I enjoy planting odd things that make people ask questions. Your article started me on a search for the plants and found 2 sources to purchase them from.

    https://www.goodwincreekgardens.com/ has them available for $5.50 each

    https://companionplants.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=373&osCsid=5654d13535e303d87a5a928e1dbf2045 has them available for $4.75 each

    Both places sell them as individual potted plants.

  11. When I first saw the photo, I thought these were grubs! I’ll have to keep an eye out for these at the farmers market and give them a try…

  12. Any more details in terms of how to start these? Go to an asian market, try to find tubers, stick in ground? Or a bit more complex?

  13. I’ve seen this quite a few times in my Charlie Trotter cookbooks, but have never seen them for sale anywhere. Interesting to learn that they are so easy to clean… it was always my assumption that they would be very difficult to clean, requiring removal of a skin from those crevices between the lumps.

  14. I have never heard of, nor seen, these. Very cool! They look like little curly pasta. Thanks for sharing!

  15. I wonder if I can find these at my local Asian market?? The one on the right in the last pic looks like it’s laughing!

  16. Aha! These are the buggers I’ve been trying to dig out of my blueberries for a couple of years…thanks, Hank!

    And a warning for all of you wannabe crosne growers: I’d recommend growing them in a container. They are extremely invasive and, as Hank said, “You will never get all the tubers out of your garden, so be prepared for a long-term visitor.”

  17. Thanks so much for this. I’ve never heard of them and when I saw the picture I thought it was an unusual pasta! Your description is perfect. Must investigate!!