I soaked the thing, sliced and in cider vinegar for the night, and it improved to at least the eatable stage. I'll try the rubbing salt method, if the next one is anything like. I wouldn't say that the texture was at all 'woody', but maybe it was slow development. I put seed in the ground, like maybe 5th July. As for mutated seed, again, anything is possible, especially here. I suppose pulling the next one will give more evidence. I can only discover.