Jerusalem artichokes are small, round veggies, similar in texture to potatoes with the taste of an artichoke. They are also known as “German turnips.” Ideal for those of us on a diet, Jerusalem artichokes consist mainly of water, protein, carbs and dietary fiber. In fact, they contain inulin – a water-soluble fiber, ingested together with a certain amount of water, that gives you the feeling of fullness.
Plus Jerusalem artichokes do not contain any gluten so they can also be enjoyed by those with celiac disease!
And did we mention the beneficial effect they have on the liver and cholesterol levels? Jerusalem artichokes help the liver, lower cholesterol levels and even promote digestion because they help balance the healthy bacteria in the intestine.
Not bad, right? Moral of the story: eat more Jerusalem artichokes!
Cleaning Jerusalem Artichokes
They look like root vegetables. They vaguely resemble ginger. They feature a hard, uneven skin. Like artichokes, they tend to blacken once exposed to air.
Don’t peel them; just brush them off to clean them in order to remove soil residues. Use a small knife to remove only the hardest parts and any remaining impurities.
After washing them well, immerse them in water with lemon just as you would with artichokes.
And now… how to cook them!
Generally speaking, we’d say they cook most similarly to potatoes. For this reason, we suggest baking them in the oven with oil and rosemary – or in a frying pan with a clove of garlic or onion; or you can simply boil them and season them with oil and salt. Or you can use them to make mashed potatoes or a vellutata soup. They go very well with spices like ginger.