Black salsify, goatsbeard, scorzanera, and oyster plant are just a few names for a root vegetable I have been seeing a lot of in London’s produce markets. It is essentially a fibrous weed with a black peel that grows wild throughout Europe and the US. It has an earthy, nutty, oystery taste (hence the name oyster plant). When I saw it at La Formagerie in Marylebone, I was intrigued and bought a bunch to see what it was all about. I scrubbed the root clean of dirt, peeled it, sliced it into wedges, and sauteed it in butter. The simple preparation allowed its unusual flavors to come to the fore.