Jerusalem Artichokes Deserve a Rebrand
Let me shout my love for Jerusalem artichokes off the rooftops for a moment. Hold, please. Ahem-
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.
My first bite of a Jerusalem artichoke flooded my senses with delight. The emotion that followed was betrayal, undercurrents of grief. Why had no one told me about this deliciousness? And while I do not know why I was deprived for so long, you my friend, will not be.
Jerusalem artichokes, also called sunchokes, are actually a species of sunflower cultivated in North America. What of the spiky green artichokes we are familiar with? Of no relation. Jerusalem artichokes are small and bulbous, resembling ginger root in color and texture. They may be more of an obscure grocery list item, but my local Central Market carries them amongst the other produce.
Spinach, sunchoke, and egg plate from Tatte.
They’re easily overlooked, I’ll tell you that. But after eight or more years of choosing to be vegetarian, sunchokes had never decorated my plate. Of all the sides, all the appetizers, all the menus I’ve scoured, I’ve rarely seen them make an appearance. Tatte in Boston was the first, which is why I was inclined to give them a shot.
I’m not ashamed to say I shouted in that elegant café- natural light streaming in through the windows- a shout of joy as the first succulent, balanced bite was swallowed. And that is where my love affair with them began.
They shocked me with their caramelized tenderness. Nutty and surprisingly sweet, all at once. Complimented by earthy flavors like rosemary, tomato, and garlic, they are a humble addition to any meal.
I was most surprised at how simple Jerusalem artichokes are to prepare at home. After giving them a good scrub, slice and quarter them. Keep the skins on. I season them with a little bit of olive oil, big flaky salt, and rosemary if I have it on hand. Give it a good toss, and then roast them in a pan that can hold water. I usually let them roast for 30 seconds, to get the skins cooking, and then add ¼ cup of water. Keep the lid off, stir occasionally, and let the water evaporate, about 10 minutes. When they water is evaporated, continue to roast them until they get nice and brown on the outside. Dip them into a garlic toum sauce or enjoy them independently- once you start incorporating Jerusalem artichokes into your rotation, you’ll find how versatile they really are.
This unassuming root vegetable has yet to have it’s five minutes of fame, but I’m confident it will come once TikTokers find a way to make the tuber visually palatable to the masses. Last year it was temperamental sourdough starters, this year, we’re rebranding sunchokes.
