Jerusalem Artichoke Info & Recipes

The Jerusalem artichoke may be the most misnamed vegetable we have. It has nothing to do with Jerusalem, nor is it anything like an artichoke. This vegetable is actually a variety of sunflower, which explains the vegetable’s nickname of “sunchoke.” They are prolific growers that can quickly overtake a home garden. Single stalks grow up to 4 feet tall and are topped with bright yellow flowers.

The edible part of the plant comes from the root that is a lumpy tuber that looks like a ginger root. The white flesh is sweet and crunchy and provides a good source of iron vitamin C and potassium. Chefs recommend peeling sunchokes, unless they are used raw in salads. For other dishes, they can be boiled, roasted, sautéed, baked or steamed.