The Misnamed Miracle: Jerusalem Artichoke

Medicinal and Nutritional Benefits 

The Jerusalem Artichoke--neither from Jerusalem nor an artichoke. Ah, the fun of language! There are many theories as to how a sunflower native to central and eastern North America ended up with its complete misnomer of a name. One theory is that early Italian settlers called it girasole, which means sunflower and, like any good game of Telephone, it was misheard, mispronounced, misheard again and girasole became Jerusalem, a word more people in America were familiar with. It's been guessed that the 'artichoke' part of the name is a result of the tuber's flavor resembling the flavor of a globe artichoke.

It is also known as sunchoke, sunroot, or earth apple. It's tubers have a sweet nutty flavor. More importantly, it's a perennial that needs to be planted only once to produce for years and has some wonderful health benefits.

• An unusually high concentration of inulin (a soluble dietary fiber that works as a prebiotic) has great benefits for gut bacteria and digestive health. It improves the flora balance in the gut, reduces symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and aids the absorption of minerals, especially calcium.
• It contains protein, carbohydrates, and meaningful, if small, amounts of iron, phosphorous, magnesium and vitamin C--all of which help your immune system, energy metabolism and bone health.
• It gives you a feeling of being full, thus potentially helping with weight loss when eaten regularly.
• It contains hiliangin which is beneficial for the stomach and gallbladder functioning, thus helping sluggish digestion. Its fiber content...does what fiber does.

Thus, it has been used in traditional herbal practice for:

• digestive health
• blood sugar regulation
• heart health
• weight management
• immune support

Be aware that for some people, the high inulin conten can result in gas, bloating, or abdominal discomfort, particularly those sensitive to artichokes, chicory and dandelion.

Planting and Care

Not only is the Jerusalem artichoke perennial, it shoots out rhizomes underground to form more of itself. Thus, less work for you and less work is good! It's also remarkably resilient to poor soil, drought and cold. It will grow 6-10 feet tall and produce bright yellow flowers in late summer, so it's beauttful as well as delicious and nutritious--much like lamb.

While tubers can be planted in pots or raised beds to control their aggressive spread, they can be planted outdoors 2-3 weeks before the last frost. Watch for the soil to reach 50°F. 

It needs:

• full sun
• loose, well-drained soil ideally
• pH between 5.8 and 6.2
• compost or sand added to the soil can help drainage

Plant the tubers:

• 4-6 inches deep
• 12-18 inches apart
• in rows 4-6 feet apart

Mulching is good. Jerusalem artichokes like mulching.

Care is minimal: keep the soil moist for best results, although they're drought-resistant, no need for heavy fertilization but give them a little compost at planting. Weeding can be helpful for the young plants.

Companion Planting

Best choices to plant near the non-artichoke that's not from anywhere near Jerusalem:

• Corn
• Beans
• Cucumbers
• Squash and Pumpkins
• Sunflowers
• Any herb that tolerates partial shade, including mint, lemon balm, chives, and oregano.
• Kales, collards and broccoli as long as they're not planted too close.

What not to grow near the Jerusalem artichoke:

• Potatoes
• Tomatoes
• Carrots or any root crop
• Onions and Garlic

Harvest

The Jerusalem artichoke takes 110-150 days to mature. Harvest is typically late fall after the first frost--which sweetens the flavor. You should be able to harvest (in moderate zones) through winter and early spring if the ground is workable. If you're in Northern Minnesota, I would not advice this unless you have nothing better to do than dig through five feet of ice and snow and deal with frostbite.

The Jerusalem artichoke doesn't store well out of the ground, so it's best just to store them where they're growing. After harvesting, they can last 1-2 weeks in the refrigerator.

Even small fragments of the tuber can spread. This is great news if you want it to spread and produce more food; not so great if you want to keep it contained.

Now What Do You DO With Them?

I don't think I've eaten a Jerusalem artichoke, but I plan on having an abundance so here are some ways I'm looking forward to trying them:

• Roasted
• In a soup
• Pureed like mashed potatoes (but they'll be sweeter)
• Mashed
• Raw in salads or slaws
• Sauteed with bacon, garlic, lemon, and parsley
• Pickled which leaves them crunchy and tangy, and good to use on sandwiches, in salads, on charcuterie boards or as a stand-alone snack
• In pastas
• As additions to meat entrees, such as cooked in with a lamb stew or cooked with a steak and shallots
• As chips

Have you ever eaten Jerusalem artichokes? Do you like them? How do you prepare them? Favorite recipe?

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