Native to North America, the sunchoke is a tuber with a mild flavor similar to that of new potatoes or chestnuts. In many Native communities, sunchokes, which grow from the roots of a sunflower species, are dug up in fall after the first frost, and are eaten raw or cooked like a potato. Cherokee cooks make sunchoke pickles and preserves.
Time spent on a rapid-fire hot line of a busy restaurant has taught me an appreciation for the ability to multitask. This is the kind of simple yet delicious dish born out of a need for dinner in a hurry met with a quick raid of the icebox and pantry.
This shows just how delicious frugality can be.
Best eaten the same day they are cooked, but can be served at room temperature.
Sautéeing the cabbage ahead, even a day ahead, works well, but finish it with the butter and mustard just before serving.
This recipe stands well on its own, but is also included in a delicious holiday treat- Cornbread Pudding with Rough Country Greens.
This puree reheats nicely and holds for a couple of days in the fridge, but it is prime the day it's cooked.
Seasoning is totally your call and it can have as much attitude as you’d like, as in these warm-tasting spices of the West Indies and a garlic-tomato sauté.
You can vary the amount of water in this recipe in accordance with whether you want a proper soup or a more stewlike consistency.
Although this dish calls for only a few ingredients, it delivers big, robust flavors and can be prepared almost completely in advance. The diced squash can be roasted several hours ahead so that at serving time all that is necessary is to arrange the cubes on a platter and sprinkle them with crumbled goat cheese, chopped walnuts, and minced parsley. My local supermarkets sell butternut squash that is already peeled and halved, and if you can find it in this convenient form, it will shave a good amount of time off the prep.