Jerusalem artichoke, commonly known as sunchoke, is a late autumn food with tubers that look like ginger and taste like potatoes.
Jerusalem artichoke: Autumn bounty
Autumn may be the time when wild food becomes scarce, but I look forward to a big harvest every year: Jerusalem artichoke. They’re not from Jerusalem, they’re not artichokes, they look like sunflowers, and they have edible tubers that look like ginger and taste like potatoes. They’re kind of like the plant version of the platypus. Interested? continue reading.
Why is it called “Jerusalem”?
Jerusalem artichoke’s current name is a variation of its original name, girasole, which means “turning toward the sun.” Think “gear” and “solar”. Anyway, it’s easy to imagine a path from one name to another. The “artichoke” part comes from the flavor. I don’t see any resemblance myself, but maybe I’m a weirdo.
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Personally, I prefer to call them sunbathing. You can sometimes buy them at the grocery store using this name. Other names you may come across include sun root, earth apple, and sometimes the nickname “Jerusalem Faticho”. More on that later.
Jerusalem artichoke in Compositae family. I mentioned above that it looks very similar to a wild sunflower. And for good reason. It is a. More specifically, it is a special species of wild perennial sunflower (sunflower).
Look for stems that are 3-10 feet (1-3 m) tall, with branching stems and many yellow disc flowers, and 3-4 inches (8-10 cm) wide. Disc flowers look like large single flowers, but are actually made up of many small flowers clustered together. Each “petal” around the edge is also a separate flower, with petals fused together and growing on one side, giving the illusion of a single large petal.
The stems and leaves are rough, like coarse sandpaper. The leaves are fairly oval, thicker below the midpoint, and 5-10 inches (12-25 cm) long.
when you were able distinguish sunflower For other sunflowers that only have above-ground parts, it’s easiest to wait until late fall. Then dig out the roots and look for tubers. If you find tubers (about the size of an egg, which varies with growing conditions), you’ve found Jerusalem artichoke.By the way, it must be late fall. They form tubers to survive the winter. If you dig them all over the summer, you will be disappointed.
How to Find and Grow Jerusalem Artichokes
Jerusalem artichokes don’t care what kind of soil they are in, as long as they drink water and get some sun occasionally. I’ve seen them in sunny shade (though these don’t look so happy). They just want to live and spread… spread… spread.
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Jerusalem artichoke is native to North America. They can be found in almost every state and most of Canada, but they become more scarce as you move into drier regions. They also found their way to Europe, where they became aggressive. As a delicacy, Jerusalem artichoke has been and is being cultivated in many places around the world. So if you don’t have them now, look forward to their future.
But if you can’t wait, you should consider growing them yourself. I am a better forager than a gardener. But cultivars of Jerusalem artichoke retain their wild self-sufficiency and resilience while reaping the benefits of larger tubers. I threw some in the field a few years ago and I just go back and harvest them. No watering. Do not weed. Like I’m good David or Tasha Greer, I dig bucket after bucket. Just make sure to put them where you want them because you’ll never get rid of them all and they’ll spread.
They make a great plant for a children’s garden. All the kids have to do is the initial planting and harvesting. My kids love to go out and dig up some snacks or dinner. Our sunchoke “groves” are big and thick, and this year we dug a path in them and dug a spot for them to have a secret hiding place. Additionally, they can engage in swordfights with dead straw and use them to practice making fires (under supervision) in the fireplace.
How to prepare and eat Jerusalem artichoke
Jerusalem artichoke does not store well in soil. You can keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days if you keep a damp rag inside to prevent moisture loss. For longer storage, you can store them in a cool place in a bucket full of dirt. Or just leave them in the ground until you’re ready to eat them.
Tubers can be eaten raw or cooked. You just need to wash off the dirt first. This can be a little tricky due to their rugged nature. The rind always looks dirty just because of the color.
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Slice them thinly and add them to salads, or just take a big bite. They are a bit like potatoes, but sweeter and slightly nutty. Just don’t eat too much at once.Jerusalem artichoke, like many other members Compositae families, like to store their energy as Inulin. Inulin is basically indigestible by humans, but our gut microbes can really rely on it to get to town, producing excess gas as a by-product. As mentioned earlier, this is where the name “fartichoke” comes from.
On the other hand, the indigestibility of inulin makes these tubers a low carb food, very suitable for diabetics. In fact, Jerusalem artichoke can lower blood sugar and raise cholesterol and triglyceride levels. It has the ability to modulate the immune system, especially in the digestive tract, and reduce the effects of ulcerative colitis by stimulating the action of beneficial gut microbes. These benefits are often attributed to the plant’s inulin content.
Jerusalem artichokes can be cooked like potatoes or in a variety of recipes, but don’t overcook them or they will become mushy. When cooked, their inulin breaks down into fructose, making them sweeter but potentially reducing some of these health benefits.
Internet abounds gourmet recipes. Personally, I take the simple approach. Slice them and toss them in with a stir fry, near the end. Or chop them up and add them to stews. They also make a great soup with bacon and mushrooms. There are so many recipes I haven’t had a chance to try, like pan frying or using in an omelet. They are a versatile food.
Finally, as sunflowers, they do have edible seeds. Even in commercial varieties, they are small, but you can still process and eat them. The whole plant is used to feed livestock, although I don’t know of any other parts that can be eaten by humans. Dried straw does make a great firelighter and compost material, though.
Nutrition
I’ve heard statements ranging from “artichokes are a great survival food” to “artichokes are a great weight loss food”. So which is true? Are they fuel to get you through the winter or energy-free fillers? anyone. It depends on how you prepare them.
Inulin in raw tubers is technically a carbohydrate, but we cannot digest it. Therefore, raw Jerusalem artichokes are more suitable for those who are trying to fill their stomachs while watching calories and carbohydrates. But the inulin in cooked tubers breaks down fructose, increasing their caloric value, making them a more land-friendly food. In addition to this, Jerusalem artichoke contains mainly water, a fair amount of protein, a small amount of fat, and moderate amounts of vitamins and minerals.
What do you think?
If I’ve piqued your interest, look around to see if there are any dead dried sunflower stems in your area. You may have Jerusalem artichoke. Or just go to your local grocery store and buy some to test it out. Let me know what you think of them. Do you have any good Jerusalem artichoke recipes to share? Let us know below.
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Scott Sexton was a TGN trailblazer, highly experimental gardener, ruthless weed killer, and mostly nonprofit herbalist (to the chagrin of his wife).When Scott isn’t teaching foraging lessons, testing theories in the garden, or grazing in the forest, he can Facebook page, “Forager’s Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse.”
