Jerusalem Artichoke / Sunchoke preparation and recipes

Sanderson suggested I put these over here in recipes:

I clean my Jerusalem artichokes with a old (dishwasher cleaned) toothbrush, and break off any knobs that are too knobby and have deep crevices that are hiding dirt. Whatever variety I'm growing now is less knobbly than whatever variety my parents grew and actually seems cleanable... Once clean, I carve out any bug holes with the tip of a paring knife. My bugs especially like to gnaw out the tips. Then I slice or dice -- no peeling.

Sometimes I prepare them as a side, steamed, or microwaved, or roasted -- with butter and salt.

Sometimes I use them raw as a faux water chestnut in stir-fries and fried rice (but they lose the crunch when reheated.)

Here's two soup recipes I enjoyed:
http://food52.com/recipes/20538-velvety-leek-potato-jerusalem-artichoke-soup-dairy-free
 (I think I used chicken broth instead of vegetable)

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/wampanoag-autumn-sobaheg-modern-version-233188
(I skipped peeling, substituted beef for the venison, and used pecan meal for the ground walnuts)
 
And I liked this salad:
http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Fennel-Sunchoke-and-Apple-Salad

Thanks!

Share under recipes?

sanderson wrote:Share under recipes?  

...aren't we already here?: Food and Recipes::vegetables-side dishes. 

Senior moment

sanderson wrote:Senior moment

Apologies for tricking you by beating you to the punch by putting it here before you asked... and writing it exactly as I would have a "What are you eating from your garden today" post. 

I'm always looking for something mild and crunchy for salads. Sounds like sunchokes might be the answer, but we've never tasted them and can't find them around here. Are they sort of like jicama or water chestnuts?

countrynaturals wrote:I'm always looking for something mild and crunchy for salads. Sounds like sunchokes might be the answer, but we've never tasted them and can't find them around here. Are they sort of like jicama or water chestnuts?

Yes. Sometimes a little artichoke-y in flavor - though not all agree on that.
Sunchoke are drought tolerant once established, though you'll get a better yield with some watering. And they are even good for chickens:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-great-food-cover-plant-for-chickens.10281/

But there are two big cons:

One - They are rather invasive - they'll send out tubers deep and wide. You may find them coming up feet away from where you planted and you can't just pull them out like a weed because they break off of the tuber and it just sends up new shoots. Do not put them in raised beds.

Two - They contain high quantities of a carbohydrate called inulin (not to be confused with insulin) that can cause a lot of gas for some people. I think it depends on your gut flora, and whether you try to eat a whole lot at once without giving your body/gut flora a chance to adapt.

Very interesting, Beetles!  Inulin, eh?  

BeetlesPerSqFt wrote:

countrynaturals wrote:I'm always looking for something mild and crunchy for salads. Sounds like sunchokes might be the answer, but we've never tasted them and can't find them around here. Are they sort of like jicama or water chestnuts?

Yes. Sometimes a little artichoke-y in flavor - though not all agree on that.
Sunchoke are drought tolerant once established, though you'll get a better yield with some watering. And they are even good for chickens:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-great-food-cover-plant-for-chickens.10281/

But there are two big cons:

One - They are rather invasive - they'll send out tubers deep and wide. You may find them coming up feet away from where you planted and you can't just pull them out like a weed because they break off of the tuber and it just sends up new shoots. Do not put them in raised beds.

Two - They contain high quantities of a carbohydrate called inulin (not to be confused with insulin) that can cause a lot of gas for some people. I think it depends on your gut flora, and whether you try to eat a whole lot at once without giving your body/gut flora a chance to adapt.

Thanks, Beetles. I'm not worried about them being invasive. If I ever had too much of anything it would be cause for celebration.  Thanks for the warning about gassiness. We will definitely start slow and see how it affects us.

Jicama also has a lot of inulin. And some sources recommend easing into eating large quantities while your body and gut microbes adapt. Too much right away can cause gas or mild stomach pains.

But once you get used to it inulin is supposed to be amazingly good for you.

Robbomb116 wrote:Jicama also has a lot of inulin.   And some sources recommend easing into eating large quantities while your body and gut microbes adapt.  Too much right away can cause gas or mild stomach pains.

But once you get used to it inulin is supposed to be amazingly good for you.

Yes, inulin is a natural fiber source....very cool!