In the quest for a healthier and more environmentally friendly diet, many of us strive to diversify our meals by prioritizing fresh, seasonal products. However, a large number of old and underused vegetables remain unjustly forgotten on our plates. These are so-called forgotten or lesser-known vegetables (parsnips, Jerusalem artichokes, crosnes, rutabagas, scorzonera, etc.) that we do not always think to buy or cook. Organizing a “forgotten vegetables challenge” over a week is a fun and educational way to rediscover and integrate these valuable foods into a vegetarian diet. In this article, we offer you a comprehensive guide to setting up this challenge, understanding the benefits of ancient vegetables, and planning each day to motivate your friends and yourself to explore new flavors.

Why a Forgotten Vegetables Challenge?

1. Revitalize Culinary Heritage

Forgotten vegetables are an important part of French and broader European culinary heritage. They were once regularly consumed but have gradually disappeared from our tables. The reasons are numerous: urbanization, agricultural industrialization, and changing consumption patterns. Yet, these vegetables have many qualities, both gastronomically and dietetically. By giving them a place in our kitchens, we contribute to preserving biodiversity and transmitting culinary know-how.

2. Diversify Vegetarian Diet

When adopting a vegetarian diet, one might sometimes feel like they are going in circles with classic vegetables and legumes. Forgotten vegetables bring novelty, with varied tastes ranging from sweet to nutty, and textures that are more or less crunchy. Discovering and cooking these vegetables allows you to stay creative and vary your diet by enriching your dishes with diverse nutrients.

3. Have Fun and Involve Others

The forgotten vegetables challenge over a week can be done alone, but it is often more stimulating to do it in a group (family, friends, colleagues). This allows sharing cooking tips, discovering original recipes together, and creating a collective enthusiasm around vegetarianism and sustainable eating. The playful aspect of the challenge motivates more and increases everyone’s enthusiasm to try, share, and explore new culinary paths.

Forgotten Vegetables: A Few Examples

Before moving on to the actual organization of the challenge, here is a non-exhaustive list of ancient and forgotten vegetables that you could incorporate into your menus. Of course, it is strongly advised to compose according to your tastes and the season, to enjoy fresher and tastier products.

• Parsnips: From the same family as carrots, parsnips are distinguished by a slightly sweet taste and firm texture that lends itself to many recipes (soups, stews, purees).
• Jerusalem Artichoke: A small tuber with thin skin, its taste is reminiscent of artichoke. It can be eaten raw (grated in a salad) or cooked (in a gratin or sautéed).
• Crosnes: Small cream-colored rhizomes that resemble caterpillars, they have a mild and slightly nutty flavor. Simply brush them and sauté in a pan.
• Rutabaga: A root vegetable that looks like a large turnip, ideal for soups, purees, or stir-fries. It has a very distinctive taste, both sweet and slightly peppery.
• Scorzonera: Also known as “black salsify,” scorzonera has white, tender flesh. It pairs well in gratins or with sauce.
• Oca of Peru: A colorful tuber from the Andes, with a tangy taste and soft texture. It is prepared like a potato.
• Tuberous Chervil: A root from the chervil family, it has a slight chestnut flavor. It can be steamed, mashed, or simply roasted in the oven.

Preliminary Steps: How to Prepare the Challenge

1. Define Your Goals

Before launching your challenge, it is important to clarify what you want to achieve. Is it to discover new vegetables and improve the variety of your vegetarian meals? Is it to share a culinary experience with loved ones? Is it to improve your health by focusing on more fiber and vitamins? Clarifying your intentions will help you stay motivated throughout the week and choose suitable recipes.

2. Choose a Suitable Time

To maximize your chances of success, choose a week when you will have some free time to shop, prepare meals, and fully commit to the challenge. This could be during holidays or a less busy work period. Also, make sure to consider seasonality: select available and fresh ancient vegetables for the time of year.

3. Plan Menus in Advance

To avoid stress and discouragement, prepare a detailed menu plan for each day of the week in advance. This will allow you to shop in a targeted manner and save time during meal preparation. Consider incorporating a different ancient vegetable into each main dish, or organize themed days (soups, gratins, stir-fries, etc.).

4. Gather Necessary Equipment

It may seem trivial, but cooking forgotten vegetables sometimes requires some equipment: a good knife for peeling hard tubers, a mandoline for making thin slices, an appropriate pan, etc. Make sure you have everything you need for your recipes. If you plan dishes like creamy soups, an immersion blender or a regular blender may be essential.

5. Communicate and Involve Other Participants

If you want to do this challenge with others, consider inviting your loved ones or proposing it in your association or to your colleagues. Creating a discussion group (online or in-person) will allow you to easily share dish ideas, exchange recipes, or post photos to encourage everyone in their progress.

Example of Organization Over a Week

Here we offer you an example of day-by-day organization to inspire you. Be creative to adapt this program to your favorite vegetables or recipe choices.

Day 1: Discovering Parsnips

• Breakfast: Start the day with a green smoothie where you add a bit of raw parsnip (previously grated). Thanks to its slightly sweet taste, it pairs well with fruits (apple, banana, spinach).
• Lunch: Prepare a parsnip and red lentil soup. Thicken with vegetable broth and add some spices like curry.
• Dinner: Offer oven-roasted parsnip with a creamy sauce (a mix of plant-based yogurt, salt, pepper, and chives). Serve with a nice green salad topped with pumpkin or sunflower seeds.

Day 2: Meeting Jerusalem Artichokes

• Breakfast: Vary a bit by integrating thin slices of raw Jerusalem artichoke into a tartine topped with hummus or tapenade to test its artichoke flavor.
• Lunch: Time for a gratin. Make a vegetarian gratin of Jerusalem artichokes, potatoes, and mushrooms, with a binder made of plant-based cream and nutmeg.
• Dinner: Prepare a vegetarian risotto with Jerusalem artichokes. Sauté them with onion and Arborio rice, add broth, then finish with plant-based parmesan or nutritional yeast.

Day 3: Playing with Crosnes

• Breakfast: Try a sauté of crosnes (sliced if needed) with mild spices (turmeric, paprika) and serve them with whole-grain toast.
• Lunch: For a quick lunch, prepare a vegetarian sandwich (grilled tofu or tempeh) garnished with finely sliced crosnes and raw vegetables.
• Dinner: Create a complete dish: sautéed crosnes with carrots and broccoli, seasoned with soy sauce and ginger. Serve with a bowl of whole-grain rice.

Day 4: Highlighting Rutabaga

• Breakfast: Integrate a bit of raw rutabaga (finely grated) into your muesli or a savory porridge bowl. Its slightly spicy note awakens the palate.
• Lunch: Make a rutabaga puree with green lentils for protein. Add some walnuts for crunch.
• Dinner: Try a more elaborate recipe: a vegetarian curry with rutabaga, chickpeas, Indian spices (coriander, cumin, turmeric), and coconut milk. Enjoy with basmati rice.

Day 5: Exploring Scorzonera

• Breakfast: Offer a light brunch with pre-cooked scorzonera slices, sautéed in a bit of olive oil and garlic. Accompany with sourdough bread and a green salad.
• Lunch: Highlight this vegetable in a vegetarian scorzonera-mushroom quiche, with a filling made of silken tofu and plant-based cream.
• Dinner: A scorzonera velouté garnished with homemade croutons will delight the whole table. Add a pinch of nutmeg to enhance the flavor.

Day 6: Vibrant Colors with Oca of Peru

• Breakfast: Steam some oca, then mash them with a bit of avocado, lemon juice, and salt to create a colorful spread to place on whole-grain bread.
• Lunch: Make a quinoa salad with cooked oca, diced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and a light walnut oil vinaigrette.
• Dinner: Opt for an oca stew with assorted vegetables (onion, peppers, zucchini depending on the season) and red beans. You’ll get a dish rich in flavors and plant-based proteins.

Day 7: Sweetness of Tuberous Chervil

• Breakfast: In very thin pieces, tuberous chervil can be added raw to a fruit salad. Its slightly sweet-chestnut taste is pleasantly surprising.
• Lunch: Prepare a velouté mixing tuberous chervil and parsnip for a soft and delicate combination. Add some sesame seeds.
• Dinner: Try a sauté of tuberous chervil, smoked tofu, and fresh spinach. Season with a drizzle of sesame oil and a hint of tamari.

Practical Tips for a Successful Challenge

1. Balance Your Meals

Even if the goal is to discover and consume forgotten vegetables, ensure a balanced diet throughout the week. Combine these vegetables with sources of plant-based proteins (tofu, legumes, tempeh) and whole grains (rice, quinoa, whole-grain pasta, etc.). This way, you won’t risk potential deficiencies and will maintain a satisfactory energy level.

2. Respect Seasonality

Depending on the season you launch your challenge, the available forgotten vegetables may vary. Parsnips and rutabagas are generally easier to find in fall and winter, to name a few. Crosnes are often found between fall and early spring. Check with your local farmer for exact availability, and take the opportunity to choose locally and responsibly grown products.

3. Manage Your Budget

Ancient vegetables are not always more expensive than conventional vegetables, but they may be less available in large distribution. Farmers’ markets and organic or specialty stores are often the best places to find them. Consider comparing prices and buying in bulk when possible. To avoid waste, adjust the quantity of vegetables based on the number of challenge participants and planned recipes.

4. Vary Cooking Techniques

The taste and texture of forgotten vegetables can greatly change depending on how they are cooked. Experiment: roast, sauté, steam, braise, or prepare soups and purees. Some ancient vegetables (like Jerusalem artichokes) are very pleasant raw or marinated. Varying cooking techniques avoids monotony and helps you identify the preparations you enjoy the most.

5. Document Your Experience

To keep a record of your challenge, don’t hesitate to take photos of the dishes you make, note your impressions of each vegetable’s flavor, and share reports with other participants. This can help you improve your recipes over the days and serve as a basis for a second “forgotten vegetables challenge” when you want to renew the experience later.

Health and Environmental Benefits

1. Rich in Nutrients

Forgotten root vegetables and tubers are generally full of essential nutrients such as minerals (potassium, calcium, iron) and vitamins (C, B, etc.). For example, Jerusalem artichoke contains inulin, a prebiotic beneficial for gut microbiota, while parsnip is rich in fiber and vitamin K.

2. Preservation of Biodiversity

By bringing these ancient vegetables back into fashion, you contribute to the preservation and enhancement of underutilized varieties. The genetic diversity of vegetable species is crucial for maintaining ecosystem balance and providing greater resistance to climate change and diseases.

3. Encourage Short Supply Chains

Forgotten vegetables are more often grown by local and passionate farmers who seek to promote these varieties. By meeting them, you support short supply chains and local agriculture, reducing the carbon footprint associated with product transportation.

4. Reduction of Food Monotony

Cooking forgotten vegetables promotes dietary diversity and combats standardization. Thus, you prevent monotony and avoid quickly tiring of a vegetarian diet. The multiple possible flavors (sweet, slightly bitter, nutty, or sweet) stimulate your taste buds and encourage you to continue the experience after the challenge.

How to Extend the Experience After the Challenge Week?

Once the week is over, stay the course by occasionally or regularly incorporating these ancient vegetables into your menus. You can continue the discoveries and test even more recipes or culinary variations through:

• Specialized Cookbooks: Some books are dedicated to ancient vegetables and offer original ideas to enhance them.
• Cooking Workshops: Participate in workshops or courses organized by chefs or local associations to learn specific preparation and preservation techniques.
• Community Exchanges: Join groups on social networks or forums dedicated to vegetarian cooking and local products to continue sharing and receiving new ideas.

By continuing on this path, you can develop your own recipe book showcasing forgotten vegetables, thus contributing to their rehabilitation in the modern culinary landscape.

Conclusion

Organizing a forgotten vegetables challenge over a week is a great way to combine fun, discovery, and reflection on our diet. It’s an opportunity to break out of the routine to tame new flavors, texture our dishes differently, and rethink our relationship with the products around us. By choosing vegetables like parsnips, Jerusalem artichokes, or rutabagas, you revive nature’s treasures that have been sidelined for too long.

This approach preserves biodiversity and supports local producers committed to quality agriculture. It also gives meaning and variety to a vegetarian cuisine that sometimes lacks diversity. Feel free to adapt the program presented in this article to your tastes, the size of your group, or the equipment you have. The main thing is to make this challenge your own, savor each discovery, and extend the experience to incorporate these delicious forgotten vegetables into your daily life.

We hope this article inspires you to take on this challenge and popularize the use of ancient vegetables around you. They truly deserve it, and your palate will undoubtedly thank you. So, ready to take on the challenge? Have a gourmet week and rich discoveries with forgotten vegetables.