Jerusalem Artichokes (also called Sun Chokes)

In case you are wondering if these come from Jerusalem, the answer is no. It has no connection whatsoever with Jerusalem. I suspect the name Jerusalem artichoke was probably a corruption of its Italian name Girasola articiocco. The funnier part is that Jerusalem artichoke is not even an artichoke. What you eat is a lumpy, brown-skinned tuber that resembles a gingerroot.

This vegetable is usually called the Sun Choke because its small flower resembles the sun flower. Jerusalem artichoke has an edible tuberous-root that is nutty, sweet and crunchy. Always buy Jerusalem artichokes that are firm and fresh-looking and not soft or wrinkled. The root may be peeled or, because the skin is very thin and quite nutritious, simply washed well before being used. Jerusalem artichokes can be eaten raw in salads or cooked by boiling or steaming and served as a side dish. They also make a delicious soup.

Because the Jerusalem artichoke was titled ‘best soup vegetable’ in the 2002 Nice festival for the heritage of the French cuisine, I selected this vegetable be a part of our 2003 Thanksgiving dinner and the recipe I have produced here is actually an improvisation of my aunt, my mom and myself. We selected this vegetable so that its simplicity and earthy flavor would help balance out the ultra rich delicacies on the Thanksgiving dining table.

Nutritional content: Jerusalem artichokes have 650 mg potassium per 1 cup (150g) serving. They are also high in iron, and contain 10-12% of the US RDA of fiber, niacin, thiamine, phosphorus and copper.

Okay, enuf said. Now on to our Sun Choke Salad

Preparation & Notes:

SUNCHOKE SALAD
Preparation: 25 minutes
Makes 4 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 pound sun chokes
• 2 small turnips, peeled
• 1 large carrot
• 1/4 of an onion

DRESSING:

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon, about 1 tablespoon
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

1. Grate the sun chokes, turnip, carrot and onion in the food processor and transfer to a bowl.
2. In the same food processor, whiz the dressing ingredients.
3. Stir into grated vegetables.
4. Taste and adjust seasonings.
5. Stir in parsley.

Nutritional Information: