Sunchoke Hash

This week from the CSA:

Beet bunches
Jerusalem Artichokes/ Sunchokes
Potatoes
Garlic
Leeks
Kale
Saute/Braising mix - mostly chard, collards, kale, and escarole


No cabbage this week! Although I'm sure there will be some next week. This share is pretty easy to use, the only kind of weird thing are the Jerusalem artichokes.


Jerusalem artichokes, or sunchokes, are neither artichokes nor from Jerusalem. They are actually the roots of a species of sunflower. In texture and taste they are similar to potatoes, but a little crunchier and sweeter. In looks they are similar to ginger root. They have very little starch, and instead are composed largely of inulin (the polymer of fructose) which gives them their sweetness.

It's been unusually cold and damp here this week, so I decided to make a warm and hearty sunchoke hash, and also use up the braising greens from the share. I decided to keep it simple, but any combination of vegetables could be used here. I finished it off with some pesto from the freezer for some extra flavor.

Sunchoke and Greens Hash

Ingredients:
2 lbs. sunchokes
1/2 lb. potatoes
1 bunch dark greens
1 small onion, diced
1/2 cup vegetable broth
2 tbsp olive oil (divided)
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup pesto

Scrub the sunchokes and potatoes and chop into half inch cubes. (As evenly as possible, the sunchokes aren't exactly regularly shaped.)

In a skillet or saute pan heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil and red pepper flakes over medium high heat. Add onion and cook until it gets soft, about 5 minutes. Add a second tbsp. of oil,  sunchokes and potatoes, then cover, and simmer for 10 minutes or until soft. (The sunchokes will still be a little crunchy.)

While those are cooking, clean the greens and chop into bite size pieces. You could use kale, chard, collards, escarole, or a mix like I have.

When the potatoes and sunchokes are soft, add the broth and the greens. It will seem like far too many greens, but they will shrink a lot. Cover the pan and let the greens wilt (about 5 minutes). Uncover and stir in pesto. Add salt and pepper to taste.

You could eat this as a meal or serve it with some sausage or an egg. I tried to poach an egg to go on top of it but I have not quite mastered that technique yet, so i just went with a fried egg. If you don't have pesto, add some herbs and several cloves of garlic.

This dish went over pretty well, although the boys were somewhat confused about the sunchokes. John thought I had undercooked some potatoes.