Jerusalem Artichoke is full of nutritional values ​​and is a natural slimming agent. But where does the plant actually come from and what should you pay attention to?

The most important things at a glance

• Characteristics and taste of the earth artichoke
• Jerusalem artichoke – growing in your own garden
• Best location for Jerusalem artichokes
• This is how you keep Jerusalem artichoke fresh for a particularly long time
• Cooking and recipes with Jerusalem artichokes

Jerusalem artichoke is a root vegetable that used to be very well known and has recently experienced a resurgence. Not without reason – the tubers are low in calories, rich in content and versatile.

Jerusalem artichoke originally comes from North America: sailors brought the tuber vegetable, named after the indigenous North American Tupinambá people, to France in the 17th century .

Initially known as a delicacy only at the courts of French princes, the ground artichoke spread rapidly throughout Europe. In Germany, the so-called “potato” was one of the staple foods until it was later replaced by the potato.

Danger:

Jerusalem artichoke has a lot of fiber, so it can have a flatulent effect on some people. The fiber inulin in particular is very good for diabetics because it does not cause blood sugar to rise so quickly. Otherwise, the vegetables also provide B vitamins, potassium, calcium and magnesium, for example.

The tuber is low in calories, versatile in the kitchen and easy to grow in your own garden. Here you can find out all the important details about the winter vegetables.

Characteristics and taste of the earth artichoke

Jerusalem artichoke belongs to the genus of sunflowers – the winter vegetable is the root tubers of the plant, each of which forms around thirty pieces.

Depending on the variety, the tubers differ in both shape and color. They can be apple-, pear- and spindle-shaped and resemble a ginger bulb. The skin can be light brown, bluish or purple in color.

The flesh of the Jerusalem artichoke is whitish-yellow and, when cooked raw, has a taste reminiscent of the artichoke. This is why the winter vegetable is also known as the earth artichoke. When cooked, Jerusalem artichoke tastes rather mild and nutty.

The tubers are available in the store or on the market from October to March. When shopping, you should make sure that the vegetables are firm and crunchy, according to the Federal Center for Nutrition (BZfE).

Jerusalem artichoke – growing in your own garden

Jerusalem artichoke is not only a tasty winter vegetable, but also a decorative plant during flowering. The above-ground part of the Jerusalem artichoke can grow up to three meters high. From spring to summer it produces bright yellow flowers that die in autumn and develop again the following spring.

Root barrier for Jerusalem artichoke

Since the winter vegetables also grow very densely, they are ideal as privacy screens in the garden. However, if you want to plant Jerusalem artichokes on property boundaries for this purpose, you should use a root barrier. This will prevent overgrown roots from ending up with your neighbors. You can purchase a plastic root barrier by the meter from a hardware store.

Form an underground fence of any size around the root. Make sure that the plant still has enough space to develop. Alternatively, you can grow Jerusalem artichokes in a large plant pot (at least 35 centimeters in diameter). However, do not plant more than one tuber per pot.

Best location for Jerusalem artichokes

A sunny location is ideal for growing the vegetable, but the plant can also cope with partial shade. Loose, slightly sandy soils provide the best conditions, with the vegetables being quite flexible and undemanding.

Tip: Do not harvest Jerusalem artichokes in the summer months – during this time the tubers are small, shriveled and inedible.

You hardly need any experience or gardening talent to grow Jerusalem artichokes. It is best to plant the tubers about five to ten centimeters deep in the ground or pot at the beginning of spring. Winter vegetables can even be planted all year round – as long as the ground is frost-free.

When planting, you should definitely leave enough space between the individual tubers – around 40 centimeters on all sides is ideal.

This is how you keep Jerusalem artichoke fresh for a particularly long time

Jerusalem artichokes will last up to four weeks in a closed container in the refrigerator at home. It tastes slightly sweet to nutty and goes well with many dishes. You can either use it like potatoes and process it into puree, soup, baked vegetables or buffers. It also works well in home-baked bread.

Or you can try a raw vegetable salad in combination with celery, carrots, apples and walnuts. The thin shell does not necessarily have to be removed. Simply clean with a vegetable brush under running water, cut out any brown spots and grate into the salad.

Cooking and recipes with Jerusalem artichokes

Info: With 30 kilocalories per hundred grams, the earth artichoke is also a real slimming agent that keeps you full for a long time thanks to its high fiber content.

Crispy Jerusalem artichoke chips

• Grate the tuber into thin slices using a peeler.
• Fry the slices in plenty of oil.
• Drain the crispy slices on kitchen paper.
• Refine with salt or other spices such as curry or paprika.

Thick Jerusalem artichoke soup with chips

Ingredients

500 grams Jerusalem artichoke
2 shallots
2 tablespoons butter
800 milliliters of chicken broth
1 liter oil for deep frying
Salt
pepper
nutmeg
200 milliliters of cream
preparation

Sauté diced shallots in butter and add sliced ​​and peeled Jerusalem artichokes. Set aside two small and one large tuber.
Pour in the broth, bring to the boil and cook over low heat for 15 minutes.
Grate fine slices from the remaining Jerusalem artichokes.
Fry in oil for 30 seconds each, dry on kitchen paper and season with salt.
Puree the cooked tubers and season with nutmeg, pepper and salt.
Beat the cream until semi-stiff and fold in.
Place chips on top of the soup and serve.
Bon appetit!

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