Jerusalem Artichoke

The Jerusalem artichoke, also called sunchoke, sunroot or earth apple, is a species of sunflower native to central North America, grown for its knobby, high-carbohydrate tubers, which can be up to seventy-five percent inulin by dry weight. Despite the name, the plant has no connection to Jerusalem and is not a true artichoke: the name likely descends from a corruption of girasole, the Italian word for sunflower used by early European settlers, while artichoke refers only to a flavor resemblance noted by the French explorer Samuel de Champlain when he sent samples back to France in the seventeenth century. The tubers are eaten roasted, boiled or raw, with a texture similar to a potato and a mildly sweet, nutty flavor.