My dad called Jerusalem artichokes farty-chokes and, if eaten in large quantities, they certainly live up to his naughty nickname. And, despite its more polite name, this knobbly veg is neither from Jerusalem nor a true artichoke.
As its scientific name Helianthus tuberosus indicates, it’s more closely related to the sunflower and the name Jerusalem is believed to come from girasole, the Italian word for sunflower. As for “artichoke”, the nutty flavour of the tuber is similar to that of globe artichoke hearts. Other names it has acquired include sunchoke, sunroot and earth apple.
Originally from central North America, the high-yield tuber was grown by Native Americans and is rich in protein and the carbohydrate inulin. It’s this high inulin content that can cause flatulence, because inulin cannot be broken down by…
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Good Organic Gardening (Digital) - 1 Issue, Issue #11.2 - 2020