Welcome back to our semi-weekly column, Market Fresh, in which we take a look at one ingredient that's showing up in the city's Greenmarkets right now and tell you what to do with it. Last week, we played around with overwintered spinach, and today, we're taking a look at sunchokes, also known as Jerusalem artichokes.
Before we begin: No, they're not from Jerusalem and they don't really taste like artichokes. If you really want to get into it, there are a few theories on their name here. Moving along, these knobby little tubers have a charm all their own, with a sweet, nutty taste that some compare to water chestnuts. Raw, peeled, and thinly sliced, they go great atop salads; but their flavor becomes sweeter and more pronounced if you roast or saute them (a little salt, pepper and olive oil should do you just fine).
Or, try this soup from longstanding Union Square favorite Tocqueville, whose chef Marco Moreira buys sunchokes from Berried Treasures Organic Farm at the Union Square Greenmarket. "We just love sunchokes, because they're so versatile and easy to cook with, whether caramelized with their skin on as a rustic side or as a soup. They're so full of flavor that they completely hold their own. Simply season with a dash of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon," he says. Check out his recipe below, with an optional garnish of caramelized chanterelle mushrooms.
Tocqueville's Marco Moreira's Creamless Puree of Sunchokes with Caramelized Chanterelles
For soup:
1 lb. sunchokes, washed and peeled
1 qt. water
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Cut each sunchoke in half lengthwise.
Heat olive oil in a large pot until smoking hot. Place sunchokes in oil, cut side down and let cook until golden brown.
Add enough water to cover the sunchokes. Scrape the bottom of the pot to remove any caramelized bits. Let simmer until the sunchokes are completely tender.
Puree the sunchokes with water in blender until smooth.
Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice and serve hot.
For garnish:
½ tsp. unsalted butter
6-8 Chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
3-4 pieces parmesan cheese, diced
1 pinch fresh parsley, finely chopped
Heat ½ tsp. butter in a sauté pan until it begins to foam.
Add 6-8 pieces of chanterelles and sauté until golden brown. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
At the last second, fold in a few pieces of parmesan cheese. Add a pinch of parsley. Remove from heat and spoon on top of the soup.
