Jerusalem Artichokes

I'm always looking for different foods to try, especially during the Winter months. One can quickly tire of carrots, rutabaga, beets, potatoes, squash, etc.. Yesterday I came across Jerusalem Artichokes.

'Soiled Reputation', a vendor at the Covent Garden Market, had a crate full of them. I told him that I didn't really know what to do with them so he gave me a great recipe to try.

Jerusalem Artichoke Soup

2 lbs Jerusalem artichokes, peeled and diced
1/2 cup sliced onion
1/2 cup celery root, peeled and diced
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 L chicken stock
salt and pepper

Melt the butter in a pot. Add the onions and celery root and cook on a low heat until softened. Add the Jerusalem artichokes, one litre of stock, and bring to a simmer. Simmer until soft. When the artichokes are tender, transfer to a blender or food processor and puree. If necessary, adjust the consistency with the remaining 1/2 L of stock.

The soup was delicious!

Until yesterday I had never used Jerusalem artichokes; actually I didn't know anything about them.. Nonetheless, after speaking to the vendor and doing some online research here is what I now know:
It's not really an artichoke and it's not from Jerusalemthe name actually refers to 'sunflower artichokes' (and also go by the name sunchoke, sunroot, earth apple)they are a member of the sunflower family and are native to North AmericaIt's grown wild within Ontariothey contain inulin, a sugar easily digested by diabeticssometimes used as a substitute for potatoesa 1 cup serving has 650mg of potassium (a banana has only 450mg)they're high in ironthey contain 10 - 12% of the daily requirements for fiber, niacin, thiamine, phosphorus and copper.

Sounds like a super-food to me. I'll buy them again foresure because we definitely need some variety in our fridge/pantry right now. I did see a recipe online for roasting them just like you would with potatoes. It's worth a try.