Jerusaleum Artichokes

History:
First discovered by the French in Nova Scotia in the early 1600’s. It was a wild vegetable that the native American Indians cultivated and grew in their vegetable gardens. The explorer Samuel de Champlain took it back to France and because it tasted like Artichoke (he thought), it became known as an Artichoke.
Jerusaleum Artichokes are actually part of the Sunflower family and as such were known as Sunchokes in Northern America.
There is more to this interesting history if anyone wants to know more - please post a comment or let me know and I’ll add.

Growing:
Jerusaleum Artichokes are extremely hardy and versatile to grow, but they can take over a garden, so you need to think about where to plant them and how many seasons you want them for.
For those not familiar with this vegetable, the edible part is the knobbly tuber that grows underground.
They are a perennial, so will keep producing year after year. They can be grown in most climates and most soil situations, although they don’t particularly like hard clay soils.
In warmer weather it’s a good idea to compost and mulch the soil to keep it cool.
In Australia you need to plant them in Spring (best time and about 20cms deep) and then harvest about 24-30 weeks later, although it’s easy to tell when they’re ready - the stems start to wilt, or if they have flowered, once the flowers die off.
I’ve read a lot about what to do, but seriously, they are so easy that I wouldn’t bother with some of the advice unless you had a very difficult soil situation.
1 plant will produce around 1.5kg’s of edible tubers.


Nutritional Value
100gms of Jerusaleum Artichokes provides:
73 calories
17gm Carbohydrates
4 mg Sodium
2 gm Protein

They are also a good source of Thiamin, Phosphorus & Potassium as well as Iron & Calcium.
The carbs/starch is inulin, a polysaccharide from which fructose can be produced. This is what can cause the bloating and wind that these vegetables are famous for, so small amounts are probably best, especially for those with more sensitivity.

Cooking:
Jerusaleum Artichokes do not store well once harvested, so it’s best to eat them pretty quickly once dug up.
When preparing them, it’s better to scrub them well rather than peel as most of the nutrients are just under the skin and you’ll lose them.
Place them in water with lemon juice as they discolour quickly if you are not cooking them immediately.
They have a crispy texture like that of a water chestnut and a slightly nutty flavour.
They can be eaten raw or cooked.
When raw they can be sliced or grated into salads or julienned and served as cruditee with dips.
To cook them, they can be roasted, sliced and gratinated, mashed in with potato or make a great soup.
They marry well with truffles, scallops, bacon and thyme amongst other things.

Raw suggestion:
Salad
Thinly sliced Jerusaleum Artichoke
Thinly sliced raw Beetroot
Orange segments
Optional: chopped parsley and or rocket
cracked pepper
Dressing: olive oil (extra virgin), white balsamic vinegar and a little raw honey with a pinch of salt.

Cooked Suggestion:
Soup
Chicken or vegetable stock - enough to cover the vegies (so you can work out your own quantities for the ingredients below)
Jerusaleum Artichokes
Celery
salt, pepper
Fresh or dried Thyme
Cream
Optional: bacon, potato
Cook until tender and blend, then add cream and check seasoning