A Seed Saver's Garden

[heirloomgal]

It was a big day today - my first time cooking up the Jerusalem artichokes. I sauteed them in butter, added a bit of salt and pepper, popped a lid on the pan for a few minutes and that was it. I sliced them fairly thin, because I wanted them to cook fast. And I didn't peel them because the variety I dug up is too knobby and bumpy. I have been waiting for this moment for 365+ days, because last year at this time I replanted all my tubers instead.

OMG. It was absolutely & utterly delicious. Totally blew away any expectations I had. I think on some level I thought they might be somewhat watery, like zucchini. Raw, the tubers are crunchy and watery. These had substance, they were buttery and creamy. A little like a refined potato, or a potato that crossed with another creamy vegetable. I loved the crusty brown exterior they developed. I could have eaten a much bigger plate of them. DD, a tough critic, agreed that they were wonderful. The texture may have been a wee bit better with peeling, but really it wasn't that noticeable. How did I ever live without these in my gardening life!

For anyone who hasn't tried them, this is how I'd describe the taste. If a lightly toasted sunflower seed were a baby potato sized vegetable, this is what it would taste like cooked. Hot, with butter. The most common descriptive for it seems to be 'nutty' and I can see why, but I'd narrow it down further. I'd call them 'sunflowery' or even 'sunflower seedish'. A seed is basically a nut anyway I guess. It shocks me that these aren't more common, though I realize the break down process can be troubling and this may be why.

Of course I was very interested to see what my body thought of these tubers. Absolutely no effect whatsoever. Not a flicker on the screen of anything unpleasant. Of course, my portion was perhaps too modest. And it has me wondering if volume eaten is really the main issue with the choke digestion issues? I can see how it would be very easy to overdo it with a vegetable this abundant, delicious and easy to prepare?

 

[Decoy1]

Congratulations on your lack of flatulence! That’s a gift as I agree that they’re totally delicious.
The tendency to be over-vigorous and take over is their other drawback in my mind. When I decided that the indigestion was just too much and so wanted to get rid of them, it took me four or five years of digging them out before they stopped popping up among other things. Keep a careful eye on their spread would be my suggestion. In the meantime, enjoy!

 

[flowerbug]

the delayed digestive effect may happen later, but starting with a smaller portion is usually a good idea when introducing new items to the system. which is what i recommend with dry bean cooking too for people who aren't used to eating many of them. just add a few spoonfuls to a meal and then gradually increase and your body can adapt to them. as for smell, it is usually more related to the spices and fats added to them than the beans themselves. when i eat them fairly plain the poots are too. happy sailing (@digitS' fault again - he's got me thinking of sails in the breeze this morning ).