Q). A friend told me about Jerusalem
artichokes that she had eaten on a trip to Italy. What are they and how
do you prepare them?
Jason G.
Columbus, Ohio
Via e-mailA). When is an
artichoke not an artichoke? The underappreciated Jerusalem is not an
artichoke at all, but actually a kind of sunflower with a lumpy,
brown-skinned tuber that looks more like a gingerroot than the leafy
product that made Castroville famous. Also, this |
|
|
vegetable has nothing to do with Jerusalem.
The name comes from the Italian word for sunflower, girasole.
Because of the confusion, growers have begun to call Jerusalem
artichokes sunchokes, which is how they're often labeled in a
market’s produce section. Native to North America, the sunchoke tastes
like a cross between a potato and an artichoke is a great food for
diabetics as it assists the body in regulating blood sugar without the
big ups and downs like many other carbs. They are high in iron,
potassium and thiamine, low in fat, and feed the healthy bacteria in our
|
|
|
stomach. The white flesh of this vegetable
is nutty, sweet and crunchy. Jerusalem artichokes are available from
about October to March. Select those that are firm and fresh-looking and
not soft or wrinkled. Store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up
to a week. After that, they will wither because of moisture loss. You
can peel them, but I prefer to give them a good scrubbing like you would
a potato. Jerusalem artichokes can be eaten raw in salads or cooked by
boiling or steaming and served as a side dish. They also make a
delicious soup. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
~~~~~ |
Sunchoke Gratin
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 pound sunchokes (Jerusalem artichokes)
butter for smearing and dotting a baking dish
freshly ground black pepper and salt
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Scrub the sunchokes well and drop them
in salted, boiling water. Cook until they feel tender, but not mushy
when poked 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 pretty quickly. |
|
|
|
|
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. 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. So in walked Phil Tringali,
old family friend and super-nice guy. “Here this is for you John.” “What
the heck is that?” I asked.” I did a double-take, lo and behold if it
wasn’t a couple of giant Pismo clams - big as my opened hand!
Wow, the real thing. |
|
|
Did you know folks that these babies used to
be as common as rocks on our local beaches in Marina and Moss Landing -
thousands and thousands? Our whole family would go claming in the late
40’s & 50’s. All you wanted, the limit was 10 per person. Phil said just
shuck them, dip in flour, eggs and breadcrumbs and fry. Tastes just like
abalone. Can’t find any big beautiful Pismo’s – try some medium to large
Eastern clams. Shuck’em, then dredge in flour, beaten egg and cracker
meal. Fry in vegetable oil and serve with fresh lemon – not bad! See
Buster or Pete at Monterey Fish Company, call first 375-3511. |
|
|
~~~~~ |
Q). Regarding a morning-after cure:
You are Italian and do not know about the cure-all for everything? It’s
Fernet Branca. (and I am not even Italian). My Dad had a customer
in his restaurant who would order a raw egg and tomato juice for his
cure. After repeal (of prohibition), my mother went to San Francisco and
obtained a wine and beer license from Board of Equalization for one
dollar ($1.00). She was a tea-totaler. Dad was an alien and she was
American. Aliens could not obtain licenses then.
Be Carver
Via e-mailA). Are we
talking about hangover cures? If you drink tomato juice and raw egg for
a hangover I believe it would come back like a missile! Fernet Branca
for a full |
|
|
|
|
stomach – now you’re talking. Fernet Branca
is a bitter, aromatic spirit made from over 40 herbs and spices,
including myrrh, rhubarb, chamomile, cardamom and saffron, with a base
of grape alcohol. The recipe is a secret, and was created by the young
Maria Scala in 1845 in Milan. My cousin in Sicily introduced this one to
me after a night of restaurant hopping. Into a 2-ounce shot glass, pour
1 oz. of Fernet Branca and 1 oz. of Pepsi. Cover with your palm and
gently slam on the table, then shoot it down in one gulp. I swear it
works! Mushroom Alert: Last
weekend, 6 people were hospitalized in Santa Cruz for eating wild
mushrooms. The best advice I can give you is Do Not Eat any wild
mushrooms even if you I.D. correctly in a mushroom guide. |
|
Q). I’m an avid reader of your column
and have some information for your Portuguese readers about the
delicious linguica that I get from Taylor’s Sausage in Cave Junction,
Oregon. They used to be in Hayward (CA.) but high costs drove them out.
Their address is P.O. Box 188, 97523, Phone
541-592-5358. They will ship. I go to Washington and stop in Fred Meyers
in Grants Pass, they carry it.
Via e-mail
David Knight
Seaside, CAA). Thanks for
the info, Dave. Folks if you have never tasted the real thing you are in
for a treat! For you linguica lovers, give it a try! |
|