Garden to table

This is an edited extract from Ikaria: Food and life in the Blue Zone by Meni Valle, published by Hardie Grant Books, RRP $45 AU, and available in stores from 2 September 2020. Photography © Lean Timms

Salata Kolokassi

TARO ROOT SALAD

Kolokassi, or taro root, is a vegetable that is new to me. It is a root vegetable grown in ample quantities in Ikaria and Cyprus and can be found growing wild near riverbanks and streams. It is one of the main sources of starch in the Ikarian diet, especially in the cooler months. Kolokassi can be cooked in stews in tomato sauce, with beans or in a dip called skordalia. It is important to remember that you never wash kolokassi with water or it will become slimy; you scrub