I have a new love: the Jerusalem Artichoke. I am not sure where it has been hiding all my life, but I only tried it for the first time a few weeks back when I was in Perth. But this gnarled, little, beast of a tuber is my new best friend. A Jerusalem Artichoke is actually the tuber from a sunflower species, native to North America. Its flavour is earthy and oh so amazing. My mum had never tried them, but tells me her dad used to grow them and was utterly obsessed by them. They are hard to come by, and my local green grocer had to get them in for me especially. It might just become a weekly order!
Having only had them in things and as a soup, I went all out tonight and just cooked up a big bowl of them.
Ingredients
- 6 Jerusalem artichokes
- 50g butter
- olive oil
- sage leaves
- salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
- Firstly preheat the oven to 170°C.
- Next, wash the artichokes and dry them, then cut them length-ways. Melt the butter in an ovenproof pan and then put the artichokes in the pan and coat them until they start to brown.
- Whack the pan into the oven for about 15 minutes or until the artichokes are cooked through (skewer can easily pass through the flesh).
- Bring them back to the stove top and add a bit of olive oil so the butter doesn’t burn (olive oil has a higher burning point than butter). Take a couple of handfuls of ripped sage and mix through. When the sage is crispy and the artichokes are a lovely golden colour, prepare yourself for a taste experience utterly divine!
I only made it through half the bowl, as they are rather rich.
So. Ridiculously. Good. Swoon.
