Jerusalem artichoke

Interesting facts

Jerusalem artichoke is a member of the Asteraceae family and is a close relative of the sunflower. Native to North America, the tuber was used by indigenous people as a vegetable and livestock fodder and brought to France by seafarers in the 17th century.

 

In France, the tuber was named after the Indian tribe of Tupinambá, which gave rise to another name for the Jerusalem artichoke, topinambur. Over time, however, the delicious tuber has acquired many other names, including wild sunflower, sunroot, sunchoke, and earth apple.

 

Jerusalem artichokes were grown in Germany on a large scale for many centuries, only being replaced by potatoes in the 18th century. However, Jerusalem artichokes are currently experiencing a kind of renaissance and can now be found on the menus of many Michelin-starred chefs.

 

Depending on how they are cooked, the taste of Jerusalem artichokes is reminiscent of a mixture of potatoes and artichokes. They look like strangely knobbly potatoes and, from a botanical point of view, are related to sunflowers. These characteristics probably gave rise to the names mentioned above, such as earth apple or sunroot.

Our Jerusalem artichokes grow in the fields in and around Winsen/Luhe (Lower Saxony). They love sandy, loamy, moist soils, rich in humus, which are easy to find in northern Lower Saxony due to its proximity to the Elbe.

 

The Jerusalem artichoke tubers are harvested in autumn. After harvesting, they are either stored in the cold room until they are sold or left in the soil to prevent them from drying out.

First wash the Jerusalem artichokes under cold running water and remove all soil residues with a brush. They are much easier to peel if you blanch the Jerusalem artichokes briefly in boiling water first. Then rinse in cold water and remove the peel using a good kitchen knife. There are plenty of ways to prepare Jerusalem artichokes, depending on the recipe.

 

There are few vegetables as versatile as Jerusalem artichokes. For example, they can be grated raw into a salad, or served as a steamed or fried vegetable side dish or as a purée. They can even be coated in breadcrumbs or baked, and in some regions Jerusalem artichokes are even made into a liquor. At home, Jerusalem artichokes can be stored in a cool and dark place – preferably in the fridge – for about ten days.

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Country of origin
Germany
Spain
other countries