Sunchokes

Also knows as the Jerusalem artichoke, this fabulous fall veggie is not actually any sort of artichoke nor does it hail from Jerusalem. Rather, it's the tuber of a type of sunflower native to North America. I absolutely adore the choke's unique flavor and crunch and most often roast it with or like other root vegetables. You needn't peel them but do scrub well to remove any dirt from the crevices; they grown in an elongated, knobby fashion. Farmers markets are usually replete with them, and Whole Foods and other specialty stores carry them for a short season too. Here are some pics of ones I roasted last night (simply, with olive oil, salt, garlic and some herbs) as well as an uncooked one for visual ed.