Sunchokes are a new experience for me as it seems that they have been for most of the group so far. I knew what they were from seeing them in the grocery store before, but had never found a recipe that I wanted to try that used them. That is one of the most enjoyable things about this challenge. I get to try foods that I never would have before.

This recipe starts by sautéing sliced onions in olive oil. When they were brown I added garlic, parsley and chopped tomatoes. This simmered for about five minutes and then the peeled, diced sunchokes were added. This cooked for about 45 minutes until the sunchokes were tender. I added salt and pepper to taste, which was a little difficult, since I didn’t have any idea of how they should taste. I was afraid to over salt it, so I probably erred on the light side.
I found the flavor of the sunchokes to be like a combination of a potato and a water chestnut. With this dish I didn’t get the nuttiness that others have spoken of in their posts. I assume that it is the type of preparation that changes the flavor. I thought that the sunchokes cooked slowly with the tomatoes and onion, brought out the sweetness of the tomatoes. I found it quite an interesting taste. This dish was hearty and would be a good substitute on those nights when we want a change from potatoes.