Recipe: Roasted Jerusalem Artichokes, Potatoes, and Brussel Sprouts with Olive and Herb Dressing

 

by Judy Bloom
 

The surprise in this week’s box was Jerusalem artichokes, the multi-named humble tuber of a native sunflower. The sunchoke, sunroot, wild sunflower, Canadian truffle, or topinambur’s most common moniker - Jerusalem artichoke - is a corruption of girasole, sunflower in Italian. There are no Middle Eastern origins. The Indigenous peoples of the Americas cultivated the plant, and introduced it to Europeans who brought it back to the Continent. It adapted well to the temperate climate in Europe, and by the 1600’s, it was widely used there as well as here.

 

The vegetable is adaptable and can be prepared in many different ways -  eaten raw, in soup,  pureed, roasted, or even fermented to make a brandy known as Topinambur-Branntwein. 
 

Jerusalem artichokes are an excellent source of iron, potassium, and Vitamin B1. They have a low glycemic index, and are a good source of dietary fiber, especially oligo-fructose inulin which makes the tuber an excellent food for people with diabetes.

 

I decided to roast my share with potatoes and Brussel sprouts, and then top it off with an olive and herb dressing. An initial quick boiling cut down the roasting time.
 

Recipe
 

1/2 pound Jerusalem artichokes, well scrubbed and trimmed 

1/2 pound thin-skinned potatoes 

1 pt. Brussel sprouts, trimmed and halved

2T olive oil

Kosher salt

4-5 sprigs of thyme, or other herb

1.    Heat oven to 400ºF.

2.    Scrub well and trim Jerusalem artichokes.

3.    Bring water to boil in 3 qt saucepan. Salt water generously with kosher salt.

4.    Boil chokes for 5 minutes, then drain and cool.

5.    Cut chokes and potatoes into 1/2” chunks.

6.    Halve trimmed Brussel sprouts.

7.    Massage vegetables with 2 T olive oil and 1 t kosher salt, and arrange on an uncrowded roasting dish.

8.    Add herb sprigs.

9.    Roast for about 25 minutes, checking after 15 minutes, until vegetables are soft and nicely browned.

10. Allow to cool slightly.

11. Transfer to serving dish, top with dressing, and serve warm or at room temperature.

Olive and Herb Dressing

1/2 C mixed herbs, finely minced  (I used parsley and cilantro.)

Zest of 1 lemon

1 T lemon juice

2 T minced roasted pitted olives

3 T olive oil

 

Blitz all ingredients in a mini chop until a smooth paste.

Set aside to add later.

 

Tips and Tricks: Roasting Vegetables

·  Always preheat oven to 400ºF or desired temperature.

·  Cut vegetables into similar sizes. 

·  Dry vegetables before adding oil.

·  Use your hands to massage the vegetables with generous amount of oil.

·  Use enough oil, but not too much.

·  Roast similarly dense vegetables together.

·  Space out veggies. No crowding on the baking sheet!

·  Salt with kosher salt. It’s tastier, and less salty.

·  Check frequently to avoid burning.

·  Flip the veggies midway.

·  Experiment with different oils. Try avocado oil or ghee.

·  Don’t use coconut oil for roasting above 350ºF.