Roasted Jerusalem Artichokes

• ▢ 1 pound Jerusalem artichokes scrubbed well
• ▢ 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ Coarse sea salt
• ▢ Finely chopped parsley, rosemary, or thyme to garnish (optional)

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).
• Scrub the Jerusalem artichokes well under cool running water with a brush or a cloth. Scrub them really, really, really well. Pat each one dry and slice it in half lengthwise. Place them in a metal roasting pan (not nonstick) that's large enough to accommodate the Jerusalem artichokes in a single layer. Toss with the olive oil and spread in a single layer, cut side down.
• Roast until the cut sides are golden and crisp, the skins are slightly puffed, and the insides are tender throughout, 25 to 40 minutes, depending on the size.
• Let the Jerusalem artichokes cool on the pan slightly, then use a metal spatula to swoop them off the pan. (They tend to caramelize quite easily, making the cut sides rather tricky to pry from the pan but oh so lovely to eat. Letting them rest a few moments before using a swift motion to release them tends to leave as little sunchoke as possible on the pan.)
• Place the Jerusalem artichokes on plates. Sprinkle with salt to taste, and fresh herbs, if using. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Pat Francis

Jerusalem artichokes are, unfortunately, not blessed with the best of looks, but underneath their cragginess they cook up tender and sweet. This basic technique for roasting them works quite well. The main thing I would do differently next time is cut the larger ones in more pieces so they all cook at about the same rate.

They didn’t caramelize a lot—just a little—but most of the pieces also did not stick to the pan, They were evenly browned on the cut sides, with the larger pieces requiring an extra 5 minutes of roasting time. I didn’t think the skins looked particularly puffy, but they were tender throughout.

I showered these with chopped Italian parsley before serving and a big pinch of Balinese coarse sea salt.

When I reheated leftovers, I served them with a lemony yogurt sauce (lemon juice and zest, grated garlic, minced parsley, kosher salt). They were delicious when dipped and slathered with the sauce.

Kate H. Knapp

Hallelujah! I am no longer afraid or intimidated by these bulbous roots. Where once I would have perplexingly picked one up, unsure of how to make it edible, I now have the tools in my cooking arsenal to create something delightful. And it is almost embarrassing how easy they are to cook.

Once roasted, the chokes take on an almost sweet, nutty, and lemony flavor that is quite addictive. I tried them out of the oven and at room temperature, and I enjoyed both ways immensely. I also tasted with just salt before adding rosemary and I was happy either way (though I think next time I will roast them with the rosemary already added as a test).

I would recommend buying or cutting the chokes in a similar size to get a more equal caramelization on the bottoms. I am definitely adding this recipe to my rotation and I will never again cower before this tasty root. It’s a new day in the kitchen.

Laura S.

These were deliciously caramelized and tasty. We had them on the side of lamb steaks and broccoli and they went really well.

They really need to be well browned for the best flavour, so if in doubt leave them in for slightly longer.

While delicious, these could have done with a slight flavour boost. I’d add a small knob of butter at the end and, instead of coarse sea salt. I would sprinkle them with two good pinches of fine salt to coat them more evenly. Another option would be to actually roast them with some sprigs of herbs like rosemary or thyme and to add a couple of smashed cloves of garlic.

Jenny Howard

This is a terrific gateway recipe for Jerusalem artichokes (or sunchokes as they’re often labeled in groceries these days). Most of us probably don’t consider these funny little tubers because we haven’t the slightest idea what to do with them, and this simple roasting method solves that in the most inviting way possible. (You can’t argue with 8 minutes of hands-on prep time!)

The caramelization of the cut sides is key to the best flavor, along with a healthy shower of salt; you need the savory/salty crunch to balance the surprising natural sweetness of the soft interiors. A sprinkle of fresh herbs makes a nice flourish before serving, but I’m not sure it adds much to the final flavor. I tried the sunchokes both hot from the oven and later at room temperature, and found the flavor and crispness much more impressive when the dish was warm.

A few suggestions to ensure greatness with this recipe. I’d suggest purchasing sunchokes that are all the same size, as you really need them to finish roasting at the same time. I’d drizzle another teaspoon or two of olive oil over the finished sunchokes just before salting and serving. This will help the salt (and herbs, if using) to stick. I’d also emphasize that you really want to roast the sunchokes long enough to get that crucial caramelization. The cut sides should get deep golden brown!