Last week, in Whole Foods, I absent-mindedly picked up something thinking it was a bulb of ginger and then realized it wasn't. I looked for a sign/picture to see what it was, but couldn't find one.

This week, I went back to get more ginger and picked up one of these other things and went to a produce guy and asked what it was. He had a heavy foreign accent and I didn't "get" what he said it was. I asked him if he knew what it's used for. He didn't, but he ran and got a book. When he pointed it out in the book, it was a Jerusalem artichoke but I know that's not what he said the first time. The book said it's known by several names.

It certainly doesn't LOOK anything like an artichoke. Do any of you use it and, if so, for what and how?

Thanks!

P.S. I already "Googled it," but still like to hear pros and cons from people I know who have actually used it. Here's a GREAT explanation (and recipes) for those who, like me, have not eaten them:
About Jerusalem Artichokes

This message has been edited. Last edited by: SheriaVa,

Jerusalem artichokes are just about the only thing the farm is offering now, but I haven't quite gotten the nerve up to give em a try.

Jen, I'd be interested to hear how that recipe turns out. That sounds like just the sort of thing I'd be willing to try.

I bought some, now I just have to cook them.

I'm going to try this recipe:


Home Cooking Sunchoke Gratin

Ingredients
1 pound sunchokes(Jerusalem artichokes)
Salt
An oven-to-table baking dish
Butter for smearing and dotting the baking dish
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Peel the sunchokes and drop them in salted, boiling water. Cook them until they feel tender, but not mushy when prodded with a fork. Ten minutes after the water returns to a boil, check them frequently because they tend to go from very firm to very soft in a brief span of time. Drain when done, and as soon as they are cool enough to handle, cut them into 1/2-inch slices.

Smear the bottom of a baking dish with butter, then place the sunchoke slices in it, arranging them so they overlap slightly, roof tile fashion. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and the grated Parmesan, dot with butter and place the dish on the uppermost rack of the preheated oven. Bake until a light golden crust begins to form on top. Allow to settle for a few minutes out of the oven before serving.

Yield: 4 servings

I looked but didn't see them at the little grocery I visited today. It has a small produce section but nice non-hormone-pumped meats and lots of fun specialty foods.

I like to grocery-shop-hop sometimes to try new things.

No, but now that I've "googled it," I'm thinking of trying it next time I go to Whole Foods. P.S. According to the website I linked to, I think the other term the Whole Foods produce man was using was "sunchoke."

They sound interesting. Have you tried them yet?