Jerusalem Artichokes

[Annabelle]

I've grown these for the first time,now they are ready for harvest.What do I do with them?How do people like to eat them/cook them? Any ideas...

[KATE MORONEY]

roasted in honey yum

[Jamie]

Great for soup with chicken stock or vegie stock and onion and a potato. If you haven't heard already be warned they are also named (f) artichokes. but I love their earthy flavour. Equally they are so sweet roasted even without the honey! Enjoy.

[Dian & Dennis Patterson]

Hi Annabelle :
We have grown them for several years, good value, roasted with potatoes, grated in soups & stews. Lovely in kimchee. I can post a recepe, if there is interest.
Cheers,
Dennis

[Isabell Strange]

I have grown them for the first time too and you are ahead of me because I don't even know how to tell when they are ready, I have been told you eat the root.

[Melinda]

They are delicious roasted with garlic, salt, black pepper and olive oil, just like you would potatoes. They're a little nutty, even a bit mushroomy.

As someone else said though, they can be hard on the stomach for some people. They contain a polysaccharide called inulin that can cause severe gastric distress. I love 'em, but can't eat 'em.

[Robyn Wolfe]

I love them just boiled until they are soft, then squish out the inside and throw the skins away. Yum!

[Jeffie]

Same here first time grower and dug up all my J.A's last weekend - yeah I know I should have only dig as needed! you live and you learn aye. I did found quite a few starting to rot? and others were so small not even worth taking them out.

I want to make a meat / veggie soup tonight and want to add JA. But how much do you add and when in the soup making?

[Fionna Hill]

Jerusalem Artichokes
Despite what Julia Child described as their ‘rooty-toot-toot’ problem, Jerusalem artichokes are delicious and versatile. They were named 'best soup vegetable' in the 2002 Nice festival for the heritage of the French cuisine.
They make delicious soup with potatoes, garlic, onions and celery; see our recipe below. They’re a fiddle to scrape or peel so for the soup I just wash them.
They’re good with oven roast veges, or roasted around meat in the last half hour of cooking; slices cooked gently in milk, then cooled, make a good salad; they can also be used raw in salads. Pickled, they are crunchy and delicious.
The plants are prolific growers with flowers resembling sunflowers. They are from the same family.
And good news for diabetics - the inulin from the root tubers can be converted into fructose, a sweet substance that is safe for diabetics.

Jerusalem artichoke soup
60g butter
500g Jerusalem artichokes, scraped or peeled and cut into even chunks (I use more)
1 onion, sliced
1 clove of garlic, lightly crushed
1 stick of celery, finely sliced
1 potato, diced
1 litre of chicken stock
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly cut chives
Freshly grated nutmeg
Large dollop of cream (optional, but worth it)
Melt the butter in a heavy pan and sweat the vegetables for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the liquid and simmer until the artichoke is tender. Puree in a blender (or food processor). Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper and cream as desired. Serve with nutmeg and chopped chives sprinkled on top. Jerusalem Artichokes
Despite what Julia Child described as their ‘rooty-toot-toot’ problem, Jerusalem artichokes are delicious and versatile. They were named 'best soup vegetable' in the 2002 Nice festival for the heritage of the French cuisine.
They make delicious soup with potatoes, garlic, onions and celery; see our recipe below. They’re a fiddle to scrape or peel so for the soup I just wash them.
They’re good with oven roast veges, or roasted around meat in the last half hour of cooking; slices cooked gently in milk, then cooled, make a good salad; they can also be used raw in salads. Pickled, they are crunchy and delicious.
The plants are prolific growers with flowers resembling sunflowers. They are from the same family.
And good news for diabetics - the inulin from the root tubers can be converted into fructose, a sweet substance that is safe for diabetics.

Jerusalem artichoke soup
60g butter
500g Jerusalem artichokes, scraped or peeled and cut into even chunks (I use more)
1 onion, sliced
1 clove of garlic, lightly crushed
1 stick of celery, finely sliced
1 potato, diced
1 litre of chicken stock
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly cut chives
Freshly grated nutmeg
Large dollop of cream (optional, but worth it)
Melt the butter in a heavy pan and sweat the vegetables for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the liquid and simmer until the artichoke is tender. Puree in a blender (or food processor). Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper and cream as desired. Serve with nutmeg and chopped chives sprinkled on top.

[André Taber]

We had them raw recently: slice them very thinly (the wide slicing blade on our box grater was perfect) and mix with watercress, some capers and some chopped shallot. Dress with good wine vinegar and walnut oil. We got this from Stephanie Alexander's book The Cook's Companion.

[HELEN MACKENZIE]

Jerusalem Artichokes in Sage Butter- Pan Fried
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/photo/Pan-Fried-Jerusalem-Ar... /> yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings
The tubers of a North American sunflower, Jerusalem artichokes (also labeled "sunchokes")

Ingredients
• 3 tablespoons butter, divided
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound Jerusalem artichokes,* scrubbed, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
• 3 tablespoons coarsely torn fresh sage leaves, divided
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
Preparation
Melt 1 tablespoon butter with olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add Jerusalem artichokes and half of sage. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until brown and just beginning to soften, turning frequently, about 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer Jerusalem artichokes to shallow serving bowl. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter and sage to skillet; fry until sage darkens and begins to crisp, about 30 seconds. Add lemon juice; simmer 1 minute. Pour lemon-sage butter over Jerusalem artichokes in bowl, tossing to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley.


Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pan-Fried-Jerusalem-Ar...

[Rukman Wagachchi]

[Dian & Dennis Patterson]

Hi : Made another batch of kimchee 2 weeks ago, J Artichokes, chokos, apples, nettles, onions, garlic, ginger, and salt. Tastes great, a neighbour visited, gave us a hand, and finished off the last of last years batch, describing it as yummy!

J a's are ready when the plants die back. Only dig when you want to eat them.

Made some fritters 3 weeks ago, cutting the choke 's at their junctions, to make make brushing the soil off under the tap easier. Grated, with chopped onion, garlic, green onion, bound with egg & a bit of wholemeal flour, some curry powder, formed into patties, & sauted in extra virgin olive oil, for my wifes birthday.

Unanamously voted TASTY!

Cheers,

Dennis