Most Underrated Food

[snowangel]

Two more for the list:

Anchovies. Even folks that swear they don't like them rave about dishes where the humble anchovie is an ingredient.

Sumac.

[Chris Amirault]

I'll second anchovies and celery, and add rutabagas, chicken thighs, and the lowly onion, without which I'd venture 90% of my meals would be woeful.

[Jenni]

Jenni: Combine the two (ingredient and dish: i.e. besan and idli-like dish) and you have: dhoklas!

Do you really think besan and idlis are underrated? By whom? They seem very widely appreciated by > 1 b people

Yeah they're big in India, but given how much some foreign ingredients have become a big thing in the west, I think I can say they're overrated here. But, I think dhokla are probably more underrated than idli!

[johnnyd]

My vote is for Salsify. Grown in Thomas Jefferson's garden, it disappeared mid century but is making a comeback.

I found a catalan recipe with salsify and chicken but they're great fried. More complex than parsnips.

[Adam Chef]

I am a huge fan of Watermelon! But unfortunately it only seems to find itself eaten on a hot day as a way to refresh yourself. I am the Head Chef of a Food Creation lab in Spain and I have made many plates for our Michelin Star restaurant using watermelon as the main focus. See my blog posting of one of my favorite watermelon creations.

http://www.madridlab.net/melonas/?p=325

Adam

[johnnyd]

I am a huge fan of Watermelon! But unfortunately it only seems to find itself eaten on a hot day as a way to refresh yourself. I am the Head Chef of a Food Creation lab in Spain and I have made many plates for our Michelin Star restaurant using watermelon as the main focus. See my blog posting of one of my favorite watermelon creations.

http://www.madridlab.net/melonas/?p=325

Adam

That's fascinating stuff Adam. Welcome to eGullet!

[lmarshal1]

This may be an odd one...and some of you may gag...but I think that canned spinach is highly undervalued. I have loved it since childhood! lkm

[Lindacakes]

I'm with johnnyd -- salsify.

Also purslane.

Celery root is a recent discovery.

[andiesenji]

In my opinion flax seed meal (or whole flax seeds) is one of the most underrated ingredients and one that can be used in so many foods.

I began buying it in the small vacuum packages at my local health food store but was using it so rapidly that I began buying golden flax in bulk from Barry Farms and grinding my own meal. (It is a bit too oily to produce a fine flour.)

I add it to bread, rolls and quick bread doughs, pancakes and waffles. It is a terrific addition, after toasting in the oven, to pumpkin bread or carrot, zucchini, etc., loaves and also add it to my fruit cake batters.

I add it to my hot cereal prior to cooking - I often toast it first. And I add it to the brown rice mixtures I like.

I agree about the celery root, which I use often.

Cooked celery itself is extremely underrated. I often prepare braised celery when I have some meat braising (long and slow) in the oven. Even with stripping out the tougher fibers, it takes close to two hours to get it just right, so it maintains its shape but takes on a buttery internal texture.

I first brown it gently in butter with a little olive oil, just until the outer portions begin to look just a bit translucent, then add enough white wine and perhaps a bit of vegetable stock to just cover the bottom of the pot, cover it tightly and put it into the oven at 275-300° F.

[Mette]

Root parsley - stronger tasting than parsnip - oh, and celeriac (celery root) is really good roasted with cumin

[OliverB]

One word:

Offal

[heidih]

Root parsley - stronger tasting than parsnip - oh, and celeriac (celery root) is really good roasted with cumin

Yes! The parsley root was a big part of grandmas's chicken soup. I spent many many years trying to figure out what it was after she was gone and I had no idea.

[saltedgreens]

One word:

Offal

One word with many wonderful applications.

[Sugar Apple]

I agree with the anchovies, I add one or two to so many stews and sauces I made. Nobody knows they're in there but they add depth somehow. And onions, I can't imagine cooking without them.

With regard to curry leaves, they're a favorite in our kitchen and we use a lot. If you have a green thumb, try growing your own. We haven't been without a plant for about 15 years now and it requires almost no care. It also puts out suckers like you wouldn't believe, so you have lots of seedlings to give to friends, so you'll be really popular with your foodie friends.