Jerusalem Artichokes (Sunchokes)

The Jerusalem artichoke, also called the sunroot or sunchoke, is a flowering plant native to North America, grown for its tuber, which is used as a root vegetable.
The Jerusalem artichoke has absolutely nothing to do with Jerusalem, and little to do with true artichokes. When it was first discovered, it was called Girasole, which is the Italian word for sunflower (it refers to the way in which the flowers turn towards the sun). The Jerusalem artichoke is a type of the sunflower, in the same genus as the garden sunflower Helianthus annuus. Later people thought that Girasole sounded like Jerusalem, so they called it that. In recent years, many people have taken to calling it sunchoke or sunroot to avoid this confusion.

The Jerusalem artichoke is a tuber that grows underground like the potato but is harder to harvest because the tubers cling to the roots and become entwined. Cultivated varieties of sunchokes grow in clumps close to the main root or rhizome while wild ones grow at the end of root. Like their family members of sunflowers, they can grow from 3 to 12 feet high with large leaves and flowers that are 1 1/2 to 3 inches in diameter.

Sunchokes are often called a starchy plant, but the starch is in the form of inulin, a polysaccharide from which fructose can be produced. Because this starch, or inulin, is not easily digestible by everyone, it may be best to introduce the vegetable in small amounts.

Nutritionally, the sunchoke's most outstanding benefits lie in the 327 mg. of potassium for a half-cup serving. That same half-cup serving has 57 calories, 1.5. gr. protein, 1.2 gr. fiber, 10.5 mg. calcium, 10 mcg. folacin along with smaller amounts of niacin and thiamine.

The tubers are gnarly and uneven, vaguely resembling ginger root, with a crisp texture when raw and a wonderful smokey taste when cooked. They have a crispness that resembles water chestnuts and can even stand in for water chestnuts in salads and stir fries. The freshest roots are plumpish and vibrant in appearance, avoid those that have a greenish tinge. If left too long in the open, they become wrinkled and soft and can develop a bitter taste.

Jerusalem artichokes are easy to grow. In fact the problem for many people is to not grow them once they have been planted. For this reason, it is tempting to just leave them in place year after year and dig them as needed. But the quality of the tubers degrades with this treatment. Keeping the soil fertile is important. Every small piece of tuber will grow if left in the ground and they can become a persistent weed.

For storage keep the tubers wrapped in plastic and refrigerate. They will keep up to two weeks, but it's always best eat them as fresh as possible for the best flavor and nutrition. Their sweetness is known to increase when refrigerated after harvesting. If you grow your own, refrigerate them for a day or two before consuming.

PREPARATION: Scrub the sunchokes clean with a vegetable brush. Since much of their nutrients are stored just under the skin, it's best not to peel them. Once cut, sunchokes discolor quickly, so it's best to cut them close to serving time, or cut and immerse them in water with lemon or vinegar to prevent oxidation. Cooking them with the skins on may cause a darkening of the skins because of their high iron content.

RAW:
Slice sunchokes and enjoy the crunch they add to your salad.
Slice and serve them along with crudites and dips.
Shred them into a slaw. Dice them into a chopped salad.
Slice, dice, or shred and marinate in a little extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice or rice vinegar
Coarsely chop sunchokes and add to the blender when preparing raw soups.

STIR FRY: Slice, dice, or shred and stir fry along with other fresh vegetables in a little extra virgin olive oil. They will become softened in about 4 to 6 minutes. For a tender crisp texture, stir fry about 2 to 4 minutes.

BAKED: Sunchokes can be baked whole or sliced. Toss them in a bowl with a little extra virgin olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Set the oven temperature at 375 and bake 30 to 45 minutes for whole, and 20 to 25 minutes for sliced, turning them half way through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

STEAMED: Coarsely chop the Jerusalem artichokes and put them into a steamer basket. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Continue at high heat and steam for 5 to 8 minutes. Test for softness. Remove and season to taste or mash like potatoes.

BOILED: Sunchokes can be boiled whole or cut as desired. Bring a covered saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add sunchokes and boil for 10 to 15 minutes for whole, and 5 to 8 minutes for cut up. Season as desired or mash like potatoes.

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ROAST JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES WITH LEMON AND THYME
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:
1lb 2oz (500g) Jerusalem artichokes, scrubbed
juice from 1 lemon
1 tbsp thyme, chopped
2oz (50g) butter
olive oil
salt and black pepper

METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gm 4.
Slice the Jerusalem artichokes lengthways.
Pour just enough oil in the bottom of a roasting tin to cover. Heat over a low flame and add the butter.
When the butter starts to froth add the artichokes, cut side down. Leave for a few minutes to lightly colour.
Shake the pan gently to loosen the artichokes from the bottom of the pan.
Sprinkle with lemon juice and thyme leaves and season with salt and black pepper.
Roast in the oven for the best part of an hour, until the cut sides are golden brown and the tops are soft when pressed. Serve.

Jerusalem artichoke souffle

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Jerusalem Artichoke Soup

I love the smokey taste of Jerusalem Artichokes, they make such a wonderful soup. It's just a pity about the side effects but then they don't call them fartichokes for nothing!

JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE SOUP

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:
1 oz (25g) butter
1 garlic clove, crushed
3 tbsp plain flour
2 pts chicken stock
10 fl.oz (275ml) béchamel sauce
10 fl.oz (275ml) double cream
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp grated nutmeg
1 tbsp fresh chervil, finely chopped
2 lb (1kg) Jerusalem artichokes, peeled and steamed until just cooked

METHOD:
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a low heat. When the foam subsides, add the garlic and cook for two minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the flour to make smooth paste. Gradually add the stock, stirring constantly to remove any lumps, then add the béchamel sauce, cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir in the chervil and artichokes.
Return the pan to he heat and bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Pour the soup through a strainer, rubbing the artichokes through with the back of a wooden spoon. Reheat gently and serve.

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