John Myers
Jerusalem artichoke is the multitasking talent in your kitchen. Before the potato became native to Europe, the tuber was even the staple food in some regions! Now it’s experiencing a renaissance – but how does it get onto the plate? You can find out here how you can prepare Jerusalem artichoke and which tricks refine the taste!
Clean Jerusalem artichokes
If you want to use the tuber, you first have a knobbly root on the worktop that looks a bit like a cross between ginger and turnip. Peeling is, therefore, a bit tedious but necessary for fine dishes. But if you want to fry Jerusalem artichokes or make chips in the oven, you can save yourself the peeling and simply brush them well under running water.
Prepare with shell:
- suitable for heartier pan and oven dishes
- optically not optimal, but rich in nutrients
- suitable for use as raw vegetables
- a bit time-consuming, but faster
- As an accompaniment, in cakes or cooked, it is nicer to look at
Prepare the Jerusalem artichoke
- Ferment:
In principle, you can use Jerusalem artichoke like a potato – the cooking time is also the same as for other tubers, depending on the variety. For use as a tasty side dish, you can dice the bulb, which is usually the size of a fist, and cook for a few minutes. Since it is also easily digestible raw, there is no risk to your health if it is not fully cooked.
You can also puree the cooked Jerusalem artichoke pieces and use them in soups and sauces.
- Roast meat:
Sliced, with or without the skin, you can fry the tuber directly in the pan, it is not necessary to cook it beforehand. If you prefer the sweet taste, you can briefly scald them with hot water before using them. Sweated with onions or leeks, it becomes a hearty pan dish. If you would like a fine side dish with game or stews, fry pear or carrot slices as well.
- Cooking in the oven:
You can only conditionally prepare Jerusalem artichoke as a whole “baked potato”, as the bumpy surface browns at different rates. But you can use the vegetable slicer to cut the tuber into thin slices and bake them like chips with a little oil and spices. Together with other vegetables, it is also an ideal ingredient for casseroles. Their slightly nutty taste harmonizes well with strong cheese when gratinated.
Tip from the bakery: Replace some of the carrots in your carrot cake with raw, grated Jerusalem artichoke!
- Raw preparation:
When using it raw, note that the perception of taste changes – uncooked, the tuber tastes like a mild form of artichoke and loses the sweet note that comes from heating the carbohydrates it contains.
You can slice or grate them uncooked and then use them in the salad. Salads with a slightly fruity note, such as pomegranate or pear with classic lettuce varieties, are excellent.
Purchasing
The almost forgotten tuber, which is also known as the earth pear or Jerusalem artichoke in some regions, is more likely to be found at the weekly market than in the supermarket chain. You can also grow it in your own garden – it belongs to the sunflower family! You can’t buy the seeds – if you want to grow Jerusalem artichoke and prepare it, you have to bury tubers with shoots.
Pay attention to the following features when shopping:
- Tubers must be firm and dry
- the slightly earthy smell is natural
- disappears during preparation
Kitchen and garden
The tuber is undemanding when it comes to cultivation, flowers in August, and survives ground frost down to -30°C. Unfortunately, it is very rampant – if you want to grow it, you should first approach it with potted plants. Don’t be surprised – the stems can grow up to 4m tall! No wonder then that the root is full of nutrients! However, you can only use the roots that are harvested in winter for your diet. In summer, however, the yellow flowers at least cut a fine figure in the flower vase.
Tuber with added value
However you want to prepare Jerusalem artichoke – the tuber is an ideal fiber. A large proportion of the carbohydrates contained consist of inulin, an indigestible polysaccharide that does not burden the body. It is, therefore, suitable for use in diet and diabetes cuisine and is usually a well-tolerated side dish for allergy sufferers.
Varieties
Not only can you prepare Jerusalem artichoke in many different ways, but there are also numerous variants. For example, at the farmer’s markets you will find:
- Gigante: very large tubers
- Good yellow: classic variety, waxy
- Top star: many bulbs, smaller flowers
- Blue: violet inner ring, oblong shape
- Dwarf: dwarf variety, particularly suitable for pot cultivation
Just try the earth truffle, Jerusalem artichoke, schnapps potato, or sunflower – it is an uncomplicated addition to your menu!
