get your yummy back

‘Tis the season when you will see sunchokes, a root vegetable, at the farmer’s market. Commonly known as Jerusalem Artichokes, they have nothing to do with Jerusalem, nor are they related to artichokes. In fact, they are related to sunflowers.

Select sunchokes that are pale brown without any dark or soft patches. Most recipes involve peeling them, so selecting ones with fewer knobs just makes it that much easier to do (with less waste).

Like apples, sunchokes will discolor when exposed to air, so place the peeled and/or sliced vegetables in a bowl of water with lemon until ready to use. Or, toss them immediately with fresh orange juice like I did in this Seasonal Sunchoke Salad, and they won’t turn brown. This salad is crunchy, nutty, and fresh with flavors from oranges and mint. On a bed of baby spinach, it’s a delicious, colorful Spring salad. Sunchokes can also be roasted like potatoes or sliced and sautéed. Store them in a cool dark place, as you would potatoes, and they’ll keep for about 10 days.

This post is linked to the Real Food Wednesday blog carnival..a first for me!

As a professional cook, there are tricks of the trade that I use at home. For example, I am hard-wired to figure out how to use the ingredients we have on hand, while they are fresh, to produce new, tasty dishes. 

A good example is using vegetables from my weekly trip to the farmers’ market.  I typically have ideas about what I’d like to get, but I also leave room to be inspired by whatever looks fresh and fabulous. Typically, I take my loot home, and I work my way through it for the rest of the week. Despite my best efforts, I always seem to end up with some “odds and ends” in the vegetable category. These “leftovers” are the perfect start to a Chopped Vegetable Salad, which makes use of vegetable odds and ends in a new, fresh way.

This colorful, marinated salad works well with almost any combination of vegetables. The vegetables included in the recipe are simply a guideline. You should feel free to use sliced radishes, zucchini, sugar snap peas, red onion – whatever is lingering in your vegetable drawer! The dressing relies on pantry staples – white balsamic vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt and pepper – so buy them once and have them on-hand for future occasions. Fresh herbs are a nice addition, especially basil or parsley.

This recipe is from my days at Golden Door, so you know it’s coming at you from a fresh, tasty, good-for-you place. Enjoy!