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RR 1 S22 C16 Oliver, B.C. V0H1T0 updated |
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Jerusalem artichokes are not artichokes at all but a member of the sunflower family. The italian word for a sunflower is 'girasol' (probably the origin of the word Jerusalem), the American Indians called them sunchokes, the French named them topinambours, which is their word for tuber. The Jerusalem artichoke is a tuber that grows underground like the potato, where the tubers cling to the roots. Jerusalem artichokes grow well in all soils except heavy clay soils; they do best in alkaline soils. The Jerusalem artichoke is often called a starchy plant, but the starch is in the form of inulin, a polysaccharide from which fructose can be produced. They are an ideal food for diabetics because their digestion does not increase glucose levels. The skins are high in iron. Cultivation: Plant them about 4 inches underground in spring or early summer and harvest them fall through winter. With a heavy mulch they may be left in the ground until spring. Store tubers in a cool place embedded in moist sand. They keep well for about 2 weeks in the fridge wrapped in plastic. |
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Jerusalem Artichokes |
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Who are we? Jim and Gudrun Moore, retired - not quite - teachers and farmers. We have a small vineyard, orchard, huge garden and Rd 6 B&B in Oliver, the Wine Capital of Canada, in the beautiful South Okanagan region of British Columbia. |
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Jerusalem artichokes are delicious when stir fried for about 2 minutes with other fresh vegetables. They become soft in about 5 minutes. Tossed in olive oil, seasoned and fried in a pan, they make very tasty chips. |
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When buying the round and knobby root, look for firm, white or brownish and unblemished tubers. Scrub the tubers with a vegetable brush or peel thinly. Once cut they discolor quickly, so put them in water acidulated with lemon juice or vinegar. |
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Jerusalem artichokes are crunchy in salads, or good by themselves in a bit of olive oil ************* |
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They can be steamed or boiled, then mashed. They are good with butter. They make a wonderfully creamy soup mixed with potatoes and herbs of your choice. |