A few years ago I got some Jerusalem artichoke tubers from Seedy Sunday. You can read more here about my experience seed swapping.

So, what is a Jerusalem artichoke? Well, they are the same as sun-chokes. You might know them as sun-chokes as they are the tuber of a type of sunflower. They are high in fibre and are a good source of prebiotic. However, they look and taste nothing like globe artichokes and they are not from Jerusalem!

My husband planted the Jerusalem artichokes tubers in our garden and each year they have come back in greater numbers. Top tip; Don’t plant the artichokes anywhere you don’t want them to keep coming up year after year!

If you can’t eat your artichoke straight away they can be frozen. If you don’t have a freezer or the space the video below shows you how they can be stored.

The video says it’s best to leave the artichokes in the ground until needed. Luckily it does show how to store them in a bucket with soil if they have been dug up. It definitely does not tell you to leave the tubers just lying around for a few days like I did! I asked around for some recipe suggestions and I got some great ideas – thanks guys! Below is a list, including some of my own ideas and links to recipes, so you will never be at a short of ideas for your Jerusalem artichokes.

How do you eat Jerusalem artichokes?

• Make soup. This was a popular choice! I like the look of this recipe here  as well as a suggestion for Jerusalem artichoke and horseradish soup

• Mash 

• Dauphinoise style with winter savoury. I had never heard of this herb before, might have to get some for the garden!

• Boiled in water with a bit of salt. Once cooked topped with desiccated coconut. Apparently this is the way they do it in Sri Lanka.

• Use instead of potatoes in a pasty

• Finely sliced and deep fried

• Frozen raw then shaved on salads or fish (freezing isn’t compulsory but it is easier to grate)

• Chutney with cauliflower, mild turmeric and pink peppercorns!

• Roasted – I have tried them this way and liked them!

• Baked – similar taste to roasting

• Finely sliced and used in stir fries. I think they taste like Chinese water chestnuts and make the perfect homegrown substitution in stir fries. 

• Eaten raw on salads

• Coleslaw – grate and mix with grated carrot and mayonnaise

• On a pizza

• In a quiche

• Added to a pie – this recipe looks yummy!

• Chopped into sticks and eaten raw with a dip

• Used in a casserole

• Hasselback potato style

• Make a cake! There is a recipe for Jerusalem artichoke cake here. 

If you have any further tips on growing, harvesting and eating Jerusalem artichokes, please let me know! To learn more about storing home grown vegetables here is how to store garlic.

Feb 2020: I wrote this post several years ago and decided it was time for an update!

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