Friday, May 29, 2009

Sunchoke salad

Sunchoke - Jerusalem artichoke, Helianthus tuberosus - and radishes...waiting to be chopped.

My mother used to grow Jerusalem artichokes in Bloemfontein, in the middle of South Africa. I remember their tall yellow sunflowers against a warm brick wall. I hated the tubers: poor substitutes for potatoes, I thought, as a child. Frauds. But now...in New York and all grown up.

I love raw sunchokes. Very crisp, slightly sweet, very nutty. And thanks to jvdh for reminding me about them.

If I had a big sunny garden, I would add them to a flower border, and eat them when the flowers were done.

With fennel and watercress. Vinaigrette of 1 part sherry vinegar, 1 part cream, salt and sugar and pepper, 3 parts walnut oil. Dissolve salt and sugar in vinegar then add cream and oil. They can't dissolve in oil.

Eat.

3 comments:

  1. Often spelled beginning with an"f" as they are known to be somewhat gassy. (I know someone who was entertaining Royalty to lunch and had included artichokes...an aide rejected that menu.)

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  2. jvdh - lucky you have the space...

    Dinahmow - those poor starched royals, they have no fun. But...er...I can't say I suffered any ill consequences.

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