Here Comes the Sunchokes

We are really excited to bring you sunchokes AKA jerusalem artichokes this week! If you’re a Field Goods old timer then you’ve had them before and this is maybe less exciting (maybe not, it’s sunchokes, people!) but we only get them once or twice a YEAR.

These silly looking tubers are the root of sunflowers native to eastern North America and have that nutty sweetness of sunflower seeds and oil. Their flavor lends itself well to a puree or soup, even subbed for mashed potatoes. The easiest sunchoke dish is, as always, roasted with olive oil, salt and pepper (hey, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it). No need to peel – blanch quick for a crispy skin later, cube, and bake at 400 for 40 minutes. Sunchokes are super versatile, so be brave and try something with ’em! Here’s a recommendation from a James Beard Award winning chef:

“Try doing them instead of twice-baked potatoes. Boil them until they’re cooked through. When they’re warm, smash them with the back of a pan; the sunchoke skin is stronger so it doesn’t splay as much as a potato. Then fry them in some oil and throw in bacon, onions, garlic and rosemary, then browned butter at the end. They’re so, so delicious.” More winners here.

Breaking News in the Herb & Allium category: We are mixing things up this week with Yacon Root, which is neither an herb or an allium. However, it is an adventurous specialty so we thought we would give it a go. Yacon is super nutritious and crunchy and sweet like an apple. It is widely eaten in South American as a fruit.

How to prepare Yacon Root: Remove the outer dark skin and inner white skin to get to the pulp. Yacon will brown quickly so eat immediately (like an apple) or toss with lemon. Here are two interesting articles on Yacon Root and its health benefits. Yummy Yacon Root – Mother Earth News and All About Yacon: What it is, and What It May Do for Weight Loss

GOOD NEWS about the snowstorm: For those of you with canceled deliveries because of the snow chaos, we want you to know that the extra food was donated to the High Hill United Methodist Church Food Pantry in Athens, NY and the Catskill Animal Sanctuary… a great place to visit.

This Week’s Field Goods Favorite
Jerusalem Artichokes

Jerusalem Artichokes are starchy sunflower tubers. Their nutty taste resembles a cross between artichokes and potatoes or water chestnuts. Like potatoes, sunchokes can be eaten with or without the skin, which has great nutritional value. Roast, sauté, bake, boil or steam. Raw sunchokes make a fantastic snack or addition to salads.

Roasted Garlic Sunchokes
Shaved Sunchoke Salad with Parmesan and Arugula
Fried Sunchoke Chips with Rosemary
Sunchoke and Pear Salad

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