Oca (oxalis tuberosa) doesn't seem to have made it into any of the main catalogues yet, but is quickly growing in popularity. I got a few tubers from ebay a couple of years ago and this year five of us have grown it at the allotments (on six plots). Usually I dig it up a couple of weeks after the frost has killed the tops off, but this year the plants are still alive as we've only had minor frosts. As the tubers start to grow after the autumn equinox, a late onset to frost is great. Digging up the oca has the same excitement as digging up potatoes. The colourful waxy skins make them look like jewels in the autumn sunshine.
The waxy skins make the tubers easy to wash and they are cooked and eaten without peeling. I really like them roasted with honey and ginger, but like a potato they are very versatile. Try them raw too. If you have trouble getting hold of some, drop me a line and I'll sort you out.
Carl Legge has put a couple of nice oca recipes on the Permaculture Magazine website. Also, T&M are trialling them this year, so they can be ordered from their website.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the T&M pointer. Looks like they are catching up on this one. The variety they are selling looks like one I grow, but its not my favourite. I don't really like the dark eyes as it leaves me unsure of how well I've cleaned them. However, it is probably the heaviest cropping variety I've grown.
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