Sunchokes
This vegetable is a root tuber of a sunflower native to North America. Indigenous people introduced them to colonists who found them a staple during this ‘six weeks want’ period between the last of winter’s food stores and the first harvest of the season. They have a texture similar to potatoes, but are sweet and nutty. They are very versatile. You can cook them or eat them raw, peel them or leave the peels on. They go well in simple dishes and add subtle flavor to more complex cooking. You can boil and mash Sunchokes and use them as a thickener in soups and sauces.
Here’s a recipe for the salad we sampled today in the store:
Sunchoke and Arugula Salad:
1 lb sliced sunchokes
6 tbs Olive Oil
2 tbs Lemon Juice
1 tbs Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tbs Minced Shallots
2 tbs Finely Chopped Italian Parsley
1 bunch Arugula
3/4 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
Combine first 6 ingredients. Toss with Arugula leaves. Sprinkle with Parmesan. That’s it, enjoy!
More from MACSAC’s “Guide to Farm-Fresh Seasonal Produce:”
Glazed Sunchokes
1 lb Sunchokes
1 tsp Lemon Juice
1 large chopped onion
3 tbs Butter
1/2 cup Pecans
1 tbs Honey
Chop Sunchokes into a bowl of water mixed with lemon juice. Bring a saucepan of plain water to a boil. Add sunchokes and onions and cook 7 minutes. Drain. Stirfry parboiled sunchokes in the butter, stirring in pecans and honey. Cook until onions begin to brown. Makes 3-4 servings.
Roasted Carrot and Sunchoke Soup:
4 lb Carrots
2 lb Sunchokes
2 tbs Chopped Fresh Thyme
3 cups Vegetable Stock or Half-and-Half
Nutmeg, salt and peper
Chop vegetables and place in a shallow pan with thyme and 1/2 cup water. Cover and roast at 275 degrees until tender, 1- 1 1/2 hours. Place in blender with stock or half-and-half, blend until creamy. Season to taste. Ten servings.
(Personal Favorite!!) Baked Sunchokes with Orange Butter (Or, try with tangerines and tangerine juice)
12 scrubbed Sunchokes
8 tbs (1 ‘stick’) Butter at room temp
2 tbs grated orange zest
2 tbs fresh-squeezed orange juice
1 tsp ground chives
Pierce unpeeled sunchokes with a fork. Place on baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees until just tender, 35-40 minutes. WHile they are baking, combine remaining ingredients in a bowl serve orange butter with hot split Sunchokes. Six servings.
These little guys go on and on. Ask produce or email the address in the heading for more info and recipes.
