Sunchokes, also known as Jerusalem artichokes, aren't artichokes at all. They're a tuber (related to sunflowers, actually), that looks like a knobby piece of ginger and tastes like a slightly firmer, slightly earthier potato. Unlike most root vegetables, these are best fresh--once they get old, they start to taste old.
And the good news is, you don't have to peel them. Just scrub them well.
Slice them thinly, and fry them up in a little olive oil in a big skillet, just like you would fried potatoes. When they're browned and crispy, sprinkle a little salt on them and eat.
 |
| What they look like fried |
This was the first time I'd eaten/cooked with them, and they're really good. Sunchokes are definitely going into my winter vegetable rotation.
 |
| What they look like sliced |
I tried this with some zuccini and it was awesome. I fried the chokes and zuccini pretty hot, thin-sliced so they got kind of crispy, and steamed some rice and grilled some chicken, and then shredded the chicken over the rice and put the fried veggies on top. Very nice, but next time I will fry the chokes for a while first and then add the zuccini, because it got a bit softer than I prefer.
ReplyDelete