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Category: Sunchokes

  • Mashed Root Vegetables

    In the Fall when vegetables like rutabagas, parsnips, purple top turnips, and celery root (aka celeriac) start showing up in our CSA share it’s the first time some people have seen these and of course they want to know what to do with them. I always say the same thing; anything you can do with a potato you can do with any root vegetable and, they are all interchangeable. Not only are they interchangeable they are so interesting and delicious together, mix and match any and all you have.  Baked, mashed, roasted, au gratin, scalloped, and grilled you can do it all with any of them.

    Today I was making some mashed potatoes and I had some parsnips, celery root, carrots and a rutabaga so I am making a mixed root vegetable mash instead of just plain mashed potatoes.

    Peel and cut up whatever vegetables you are using. I didn’t peel my potatoes or carrots but I did peel everything else.

    Put the peeled and diced vegetables in some salted water.  Bring that to a low boil and cook until the vegetables are very tender. I cooked mine about for about 25 minutes. I added some pepper and herbs too. Celery root floats, weird huh?

    Drain the cooked vegetables and fish out any herbs if you added them.

    I was making this for a simple weeknight meal so I wanted to keep it light so I used milk and some olive oil. If I was making this for Christmas or Thanksgiving I would use heavy cream and lots of butter. The cream and butter make it fluffier.

    I just eyeball the amounts and err on the side of less because I can always add more.

    Milk and olive oil in the pan, oh, I rinsed out the pan.

    Add the veg back and mash and taste to see if you want more salt or olive oil or butter if you are using that.

    I like my mash a little lumpy. Keep mashing if you like yours lump free.

    That’s it. So easy and quick and deliciously earthy and complex compared to just plain mashed potatoes.

    So good. Enjoy your winter vegetables.

    Mo

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Sunchoke Ideas

    Since we are offering CSA sunchoke’s this week let’s bring this post back up to the top.
    I mention in the post the health benefits of this unique tuber. If you want to know more read here; http://www.healwithfood.org/health-benefits/jerusalem-artichokes.php

  • Sunchoke Ideas

    We have been offering Jerusalem artichokes in our CSA for years now, so many of you love them and look forward to getting them. This is some information for those of you who may be less familiar with them.

    Jerusalem artichokes (also called sunchokes) are tubers belonging to the daisy family. The plant looks like an enormous sunflower plant. We dig up the roots to eat, much like potatoes. I don’t want to get into a health discussion here, but if you are interested you should look up the health factors of this tuber, especially if you eat it raw. It has some very unique health benefits.

    You can use Jerusalem artichokes in pretty much the same way you would use a potato. Specifically, use it like you would a new potato because you don’t need to peel these. They are washed and ready to use.


    They look a little like ginger root don’t they?

    You can roast these, bake them, incorporate them in a root vegetable mash-up, or make a soup or a salad. Anything that you would make with a potato, you can make with these. I think they are fun to cook with because your brain thinks it is going to taste like a potato but you get a unique flavor and texture.

    I pan roasted some with onions, mushrooms and a little garlic.

    They have a very interesting nutty taste and a pleasant crunch that potatoes lose when cooked. Because they are so flavorful with such a nice texture, they work well to compliment a less flavorful, unique textured counterpart…like spaghetti squash.