Sunchokes: the gem of root vegetables

April 21, 2012
Dinner

Jerusalem artichokes, more affectionately known as sunchokes, blast sunlight into your mouth. Literally, these nutty, sweet tubers grow at the opposite end of a towering yellow flower. They can be treated like water chestnuts or radish, eaten raw, cold and crunchy in salads. Or, you can roast and saute for an earthier munch. They are simply delicious, and though known to make some people gassy (true story), worth every single bite! Here are two easy ways to eat them, and use up that bacon fat from last night’s Blue Cheese Alfredo Spaghetti!

2(P.S. Did I mention we found these at the Farmer’s Market, its first weekend open for the season! YES! We made it through the winter with just local produce, minus 1 eggplant, 2 bunches of parsley, and my usual splurge on lemons, clementines, and the occasional other citrus.)

Emma Frisch Sunchokes: the gem of root vegetables Recipe Emma Frisch Sunchokes: the gem of root vegetables Recipe

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Sunchokes and Beets, Roasted with Garlic Black Bean Sauce

Ingredients

Scale
  • 34 sunchokes, coarsely chopped into uniform sizes
  • 34 medium beets, coarsely chopped into uniform sizes
  • 1 teaspoon garlic black bean sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sweet soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Add the sunchokes and beets to a glass baking dish.
  3. In a small bowl, mix the sauce ingredients and then coat the sunchokes and beets thoroughly.
  4. Cover with an oven-safe lid or foil and bake for twenty minutes.
  5. Remove foil and continue baking for about 25 minutes, or until browned and fork tender.

Notes

A scrumptious leftover option: stir fry the leftover roots with rice, beans, escarole, sesame oil, lemon juice, salt and olive oil. YUM!

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