Here Comes the Sun

Have you ever tried a Sun Choke?  Or maybe a Jerusalem Artichoke?  Did you know they are the same thing?  It's true.  And this week they are back at your local farmers market.  These funky looking tubers are the texture of potatoes but taste like an artichoke.  

 So why does it have two names?  One theory holds Jerusalem is a    corruption of the Italian girasola, meaning "turning toward the sun,"  a reference to the sunflower. Another theory involves another  garbling of the Ter Neusen, Netherlands area where the sunchoke  was originally introduced to Europe. Artichoke comes from the  Arabic al-khurshuf, meaning thistle, another reference to  appearance of the above-ground foliation. 

 You can prepare these artichokes in so many ways, but try this recipe:

Roasted Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts and Jerusalem Artichokes*

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets
• 1 pint Brussels sprouts, cut in 1/2
• 1/2 pound Jerusalem artichokes, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch dice
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt
• 1/4 cup chopped chives

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

 In a large bowl, combine all the vegetables, coat with olive oil and season generously with salt.  Spread the vegetables on a sheet tray in an even layer, don't pile them up. The vegetables don't need to be spread out but they need to be pretty much in a single even layer. If this is not the case, use 2 trays.

Put the vegetables in the preheated oven. 15 minutes into the cooking process, stir the vegetables so they have the chance to brown all over, and rotate the tray to insure even cooking. Repeat this process after another 15 minutes. Roast the vegetables for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are roasty brown and should smell almost like popcorn!. Check for doneness. This means taste some! If they aren't very roasty brown, let them go for another few minutes until they are. Season with salt, if needed. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with chives and serve immediately.

*recipe courtesy of Anne Burrell and Food Network