DIY Network

Homegrown Hint: Hamburg Parsley From "Fresh from the Garden" episode DFFG-305

In this Homegrown Hint, Joe Lamp'l introduces Hamburg parsley and shows how to plant and harvest this easy-to-grow but somewhat unusual vegetable.

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Figure A

Sometimes called parsleyroot, Hamburg parsley looks like regular flat-leaf parsley when it's growing in the garden, and its tops are used for seasoning and garnishes just like parsley. But Hamburg parsley has a large swollen root (figure A) that resembles a carrot or a parsnip and is delicious eaten raw or baked and added to soups, stews or other dishes.

Hamburg parsley is as easy to grow as regular parsley. You may have to go on a treasure hunt to find the seeds, but they are available in specialty nurseries and from many catalogs. Sometimes it's listed as root parsley or soup parsley.

1. To plant, soak the seeds overnight, then plant shallowly in early spring. After the seeds sprout, thin the seedlings so that there are 18" between the plants. The plants are very hardy, so a little light frost won't hurt them.

2. Hamburg parsley is a relatively disease- and pest-free plant. Mulch it lightly and water when needed, and it should grow well. You can snip some of the top growth to use as a flavoring after the plants have been growing about a month or so. Three months after seeding, the roots should be ready to harvest.

3. To harvest, simply dig the plants with a garden fork. Shake off the soil, and you've got what looks like pale carrots or parsnips. You can store them in a cool place for several weeks, or enjoy them right away. Their flavor is like cross between parsley and celery, and they add a nice zing to salads, soups or stews.