If you’re growing jerusalem artichokes you’ll know that once you welcome them into your garden you will never persuade them to leave. If you’re tempted to give them a try one plant will be enough: they’re an acquired taste and if they are simply cooked like the potatoes they resemble people rarely reach for seconds. Give them a bit of extra attention and they are transformed.
My favourite jerusalem artichoke recipe is from The New Covent Garden Food Co Soup for All Seasons book. Contrary to what everyone says about this most unloved vegetable the process of boiling, simmering and blending involved in soup making seems to reduce the windy side effects. I’ve never yet followed the recipe exactly or remembered to pre-soak the dried mushrooms (if I even have any in the drawer). I leave out the bacon, use rice milk instead of double cream and I’m obviously not a real cook because I don’t have any parsley on my windowsill. It always still tastes delicious and is a store cupboard favourite for it’s simplicity.
8 jerusalem artichokes peeled and diced
25g dried porcini mushrooms
150g sliced mushrooms
1 small onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, chopped
25g butter
360 ml vegetable stock
2 tbsp double cream
1 tsp parsley, chopped
100g bacon lardoons optional
• Pour hot water over dried mushrooms and leave overnight
• Melt butter in a pan, add the onion and garlic (and bacon if using) and cook for 5 minutes or until lightly browned
• Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for a further 5 minutes
• Add the Jerusalem artichokes and cook for 3 minutes
• Drain the dried mushrooms and add to pan along with vegetable stock. Cover and cook for 30 minutes
• Blend until smooth then return to the pan, add the cream and parsley, then season to taste. Reheat gently for 3 minutes and serve
• Serves 4, cooking time 45 minutes
Your so right, once you have them, you have them pretty much for life.
Have you already dug up some of your jerusalem artichokes. Hence the recipe. I am still waiting for them to flower in my plot.
no, I’m catching up on the back log of photos to post. I made it in March and only photographed it then to send to the friends who gave me the book. I usually cut my plants all back in Oct/Nov and leave them over Autumn with the intention of digging them up to eat as needed. Then winter comes and I forget and am reminded in the Spring when they start to sprout again!
What else can you use it for? Is it hard to grow?
Hi James, they’re the simplest vegetable in the world to grow just from sticking a couple of tubers in the ground. I mostly make soup but you can also slice them thinly for use in stirfries (texture a bit like water chestnuts) or follow this gorgeous recipe for stoved artichokes (original recipe is from the Cranks Vegetarian Bible) http://www.riverford.co.uk/recipes/recipe.php?recipeid=363&catid=4
Hi, any advice on climate requirements for growing these glorious vegetables? I used to eat them as a kid in England but now live in the tropics.
Hi Tim, the jerusalem artichoke is the King of survival when it comes to fending for itself. They’re from the sunflower family so I imagine they’d be delighted with your climate (they might even flower where mine never have). Last summer we had a heatwave in June followed by torrential downpours in July and they faired well in spite of the weather and with no extra attention from me!’ I love the diversity of size they bring to the vegetable garden and their ideal for creating a screen or border to your plot. Happy growing :o)