Cream Of Jerusalem Artichokes Or Sun Chokes Creme De Topinambours Recipes

CREAM OF JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE/SUNCHOKE SOUP

Steps:

• In a large soup pot heat olive oil over medium high heat until the scent starts to bloom.
• Add onions, leeks, and garlic to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened. About 5 minutes.
• Add Jerusalem artichokes and potatoes and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add chicken broth and bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to keep at a low boil.
• Cook 15-20 minutes, or until Jerusalem artichokes and potatoes are tender.
• Reduce heat to low. Using a stick blender, or by transferring to a blender, puree soup until smooth.
• Stir in cream.
• In warmed soup bowls place 1/3 cup baby spinach leaves and ladle soup over until it covers spinach.

JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE RELISH

Steps:

• You will need 2 large stainless steel pots or very large plastic bowls to soak the vegetables. They must be large enough to hold one gallon of water each, plus 6 pounds of vegetables (chopped) each. DO NOT use aluminum; the vinegar will react with it.
• First you have to clean the artichokes. They are pretty knobby, and they collect a lot of dirt and grit. Put the artichokes in a large pot and cover with water. Scrub each artichoke thoroughly with a stiff vegetable brush, and run it under some water. If grit seems to be trapped between the artichoke and its "fingers", you may have to pop them off to get the grit out.
• Make a brine out of ONE of the cups of salt, one gallon of water, and the 4 tablespoons of white vinegar. Stir well to make sure all the salt is dissolved.
• Prepare the artichokes: do not peel the artichokes - the peel is edible and you will lose a lot of vitamins, plus these things are really knobby and if you try to peel 6 pounds of them I assure you you will lose your enthusiasm for making this relish.
• Chopping: you have two choices here. I prefer to cut the artichokes into quarter inch dice by hand. Other folks use a food processor. The reason I don't use a food processor is because Jerusalem artichokes have a unique consistency, and they don't chop well in the food processor. Some of them get pulverized, while large chunks remain unchopped. So, if you like, use a food processor, but just make sure you don't end up with mush. You want a lot of very small chunks; it should look about the consistency of relish. As you cut the artichokes, place them in the brine.
• Make a second batch of brine with the remaining cup of salt and one gallon water, stirring well to make sure all the salt dissolves.
• In a food processor, chop the cabbage, onions, and bell peppers until they are cut fine. Make sure to keep an eye on what you are doing so you don't get mush. You want the vegetables to be the consistency of a relish.
• Once they are chopped, place the vegetables in the second batch of brine you made, and stir well.
• Cover both bowls of brined vegetables, and leave on the counter overnight or for 8 hours. Don't let them sit in the brine for longer than 10 hours or the vegetables may become too salty.
• Line a counter with lots of paper towels - I usually use 5 layers. You are going to be placing the drained vegetables on these paper towels, so make sure you cover a fairly large space; at least 2 1/2 feet by 1 1/2 feet.
• Drain the Jerusalem artichokes and rinse with cold water. Drain well and place on half of the paper towels.
• Drain the cabbage/onion/pepper mixture and rinse with cold water. Drain well, and then with your hands, which you have just washed in hot water with soap, squeeze the remaining moisture out of the vegetables. You will see that a lot of water still comes out. Place the drained and squeezed vegetables on the other half of the paper towels.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the French's mustard and the flour. Set aside.
• In a very large stockpot (at least 10 quarts), combine the apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, sugar, yellow mustard seed, turmeric, celery seed, cayenne pepper, ground allspice, ground cloves, and black pepper.
• Bring to a boil, stirring well, and then reduce to a simmer.
• Dip out about 2 cups of the vinegar mixture and add it to the mustard/flour mixture in the bowl, whisking well to combine - make sure you whisk it until there are no more lumps.
• Add the mustard/flour mixture back to the vinegar mixture in the stockpot, whisking well to combine. Bring to a boil and then let simmer for 10 minutes over medium heat, whisking occasionally.
• Add the drained artichokes and the cabbage/onion/pepper mixture, and stir very well, making sure all is combined and mixed well with the vinegar/mustard mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring often.
• Place in canning jars, leaving 1/2" headspace. Use a chopstick or other thin, non-metal utensil to run around the sides of the jar to make sure there are no air bubbles left in the jar. Wipe the rims of the jars with damp paper towels to remove any relish which got on the rims or the threads. Place the lids and the bands on the jars, just tightening the bands fingertip tight.
• Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes, then remove and let sit, undisturbed, for at least 12 hours before checking seals. It is important to let them sit undisturbed for 12 hours because the sealing compound on the lids is still cooling and hardening, completing the seal. While the jars cool, you will hear a "plink" type sound from each jar - this is the jars completing the vacuum seal as the final air escapes the jar. After 12 hours have passed, remove the bands and check the lids - press down in the center of the lid. If you cannot push the lid down any further, the jar is sealed. If the lid "gives" a bit, and you can push it down, the jar did not seal. You can either put the band back on the jar, and reprocess it for another 15 minutes, or you can just put it in the fridge and use it within 3 months.
• Artichoke relish should sit for at least a month before you use it, so the flavors can combine and improve.

CREAM OF JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE SOUP

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a medium-size saucepan over high heat, add the garlic and onion and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the Jerusalem artichokes and sauté about 2 minutes. Add the stock and simmer until the chokes are tender. Add the cream and bring back to a boil. Season with salt and pepper. Purée in a blender until smooth. Strain through fine sieve. Keep warm. Sprinkle with the chive. Serve.

JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES OR SUN CHOKES AU GRATIN (TOPINAMBOURS AU GRATIN)

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler.
• Using a small regular or swivel-bladed paring knife, peel the artichokes. If the artichokes are very large, cut them in half. Ideally, the artichokes or pieces of artichoke should be of uniform size or the size of the smallest whole artichoke.
• Put the artichokes in a saucepan. Add cold water to cover and salt to taste. Bring to the boil. Let simmer about 10 to 15 minutes or until tender but still a little crisp. Drain well.
• Meanwhile, melt three tablespoons of the butter in a saucepan and add the flour, stirring with a wire whisk. Add the milk, stirring rapidly with the whisk. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg.
• Cut the hot artichokes into not-too-small bite-size cubes or wedges. There should be about two cups.
• Heat one tablespoon of butter in a saucepan and add the onion. Cook until wilted. Add the artichoke pieces, cream and cayenne. Bring to a boil and add the white sauce. Blend well. Bring to a simmer. Add three-quarters cup of the grated cheese and stir until melted. Add the egg yolk and let simmer about 15 seconds.
• Pour and scrape the mixture into a baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
• Place under the broiler and let stand until bubbling and nicely glazed on top.

CREAM OF ARTICHOKE AND JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE SOUP

Steps:

• Trim regular artichokes:
• Squeeze juice from 1 lemon half into a large bowl of water, then drop same half into water.
• Cut off stem of 1 artichoke, then trim 1/4 inch from end of stem to expose inner core. Trim sides of stem down to pale inner core, then rub with other lemon half. Drop stem into acidulated water.
• Cut off top inch of same artichoke with a serrated knife. Bend back outer leaves until they snap off close to base, then discard several more layers of leaves in same manner until you reach pale yellow leaves with pale green tips. Cut off green tips.
• Trim dark green fibrous parts from base and sides of artichoke with a sharp paring knife, then rub cut surfaces with lemon half.
• Cut artichoke into 8 wedges, then cut out fuzzy choke and purple leaves with paring knife. Rub all cut surfaces with lemon half, then drop artichoke into acidulated water. 3Prepare remaining artichokes in same manner.
• Trim Jerusalem artichokes:
• Peel Jerusalem artichokes with a sharp paring knife and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
• Prepare soup:
• Cook Jerusalem artichokes, onion, and garlic in butter in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, covered, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Drain regular artichokes and add to pot along with salt. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until Jerusalem artichokes are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add wine and boil, uncovered, until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add broth and simmer, covered, until vegetables are very tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Purée soup in batches in a blender until very smooth, about 2 minutes (use caution when blending hot liquids). Return soup to pot and stir in cream and pepper to taste. Reheat soup, stirring.

CREAM OF JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES OR SUN CHOKES (CREME DE TOPINAMBOURS)

Steps:

• Using a small regular or swivel-bladed paring knife, peel the artichokes. Cut the artichokes into thin quarter-inch thick slices. There should be about five cups. Set aside.
• Heat the butter in a small kettle or large saucepan and add the leeks. Cook, stirring, about two minutes. Add the nutmeg and flour, stirring to blend evenly.
• Add the sliced artichokes and stir. Add the chicken broth and milk.
• Rinse the watercress and chop it coarsely. There should be about four cups loosely packed. Add the chopped watercress to the artichoke mixture. Bring to the boil and cook about 15 minutes.
• Put the soup through a food mill or blend using a food processor. Return the soup to a saucepan and bring to the simmer.
• Add the cream, salt and pepper. Serve hot or cold.