Am I the only one ready to get my hands dirty on the first nice day after the coldest months of winter? Even when I know it is far too soon to be planting, I desperately want to dig the soil, see growth and harvest wholesome food.
Lucky for me, it is the perfect time to harvest sunchokes. These knobby root veggies are nutritious and delicious. They are low in calories and high in iron, potassium and thiamin. They are supposedly good for diabetics, because their primary carb is insulin.
If you aren't familiar with this native West Virginia perennial, here is the skinny: also known as Jerusalem artichokes, sunroots, and earth apples, sunchokes are a species of sunflower, yellow flowers on top of tall fuzzy bloom in the fall. They spread easily and can set root from any part of the plant.
Under the thin brown or pink skin, sunchokes are cream colored, crisp and mildly sweet. I like to compare them to water chestnuts.
Sunchokes are fantastic in salads. I peel them and chop them into small chunks, and toss with a little oil, salt, pepper, and ground sumac seeds (for a local lemon flavor).
Sunchokes also make a delicious creamy soup. I enjoy a simple soup; chopped and sautéed onions, garlic, celery and sunchokes. Once the veggies have started to soften, I add homemade vegetable broth, stew for a little longer, before pureeing in a blender and seasoned to taste. Here is a great recipe, which includes cream. I had no problem omitting it for a vegan or low cal version, and have added in other veggies with success (parsnips are also a tasty addition).
Mashed sunchokes make a great side dish. I've made them exactly as I would mashed potatoes (butter, whole milk, and salt), and they ended up creamy and decadent.
As the ground thaws I crave not only outdoor work, but also fresh meals. To me, freshly dug sunchokes taste like the first sign of spring.
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