Winter Ingredient Essentials: Sunchokes

Their flowers resemble small yellow sunflowers and they’re often mistaken for ginger root, but Sunchokes taste more like sweet, slightly nutty potatoes than anything else. Recently, they’ve been popping up all over the farmer’s markets and it isn’t just because they are easy on the eyes. Sunchokes have 3 grams of protein, almost 3 grams of fiber (that’s double the fiber in potatoes), and more than 400% more Vitamin B-1 per 1 cup serving than their spud counterparts. They’re also rich in iron and potassium and clock in at just 110 calories per serving. It’s no wonder this tuber has risen in popularity and found a place at our table!

How do I pick the best Sunchokes?

Sunchokes have a thin brown skin, similar to ginger root, which should be smooth, clean and free of any cuts, nicks or bruising. The skin may have a purple, red or yellow tinge, while the flesh may appear a creamy pink. Such coloring is a result of the soil they were grown in and not indicative of ripeness or freshness.

These tubers can be quite knobby so take care to inspect them for any soft spots, sprouts or wrinkled skin. Each sunchoke should be dry and clean with no indication of rot or spoilage.

What can I make with Sunchokes?

Sunchokes are prepared much like potatoes and can be baked, broiled, boiled, mashed, sautéd and fried. Sunchokes pair well with other root vegetables in stews, can be roasted with pernil, and are a fun alternative to boiled and mashed potatoes. Use a mandolin to slice a sunchoke paper thin, then fry and toss with ground ancho and salt to make tasty chips. You can also enjoy sunchokes raw, sliced up and tossed in a salad!

Prepare sunchokes by rinsing under cold water while scrubbing with a vegetable brush. Cut any knobs that are difficult to clean and scrub separately. Like that of potatoes, the skin of a sunchoke is edible, which means less prep and more nutrition for your dish if you choose not to remove them.

And storage? It is best to keep sunchokes refrigerated until ready to use. Fresh, unwashed sunchokes will keep fresh in the fridge for up to a month. Remember, sunchokes should be washed and prepped right before use.

Recipes to try include: Potato, Celery Root and Sunchoke Cream Soup, Ancho Lime Yucca Chips (sub yucca for sunchoke!) and Habanero Breakfast Hash (sub potatoes for sunchokes!)