If you asked me where I first heard of sunchokes, I couldn't tell you, but I'm sure it is a mix of being an avid food blog reader, Food Network/Cooking Channel watcher, and general listener-to of pop culture food things. Sunchokes are also known as Jerusalem artichokes and the edible part is basically the root of the plant. I picked up a pound of them for $4. Shopping local and cheap? I'm in!
Then came the hard part - what the heck do you do with sunchokes?? Back at work, I scoured the web for some inspiration. I came across Bon Appétit's suggestion of roasting them then tossing in a fresh salsa verde and knew I found a winner.
I figured spicy would blend beautifully with the fresh, zingy salsa verde. I made a dry rub of basic blackening spices - cayenne, paprika, and garlic powder - and liberally coated a beautiful piece of cod. Cod was on sale at my grocery store and I got a great price.
I baked the fish since stove-top cooking of fish always ends up with our apartment smelling like fish for 7 - 10 days. It's misery. I put it into the 450° oven toward the end of the sunchokes' roasting time. It simply flaked apart when it was fully cooked. Mmmm.
That is one colorful plate, am I right? The creamy cod was the perfect base for the spice mix. We actually a tiny bit leftover and ate it flaked into some scrambled eggs the next morning. Weird? Totally, but I'm a huge fan of throwing eggs onto dinner leftovers and calling it breakfast.
The sunchokes were unbelievably delicious. The consistency reminded me of roasted potatoes, but without that heavy starch feel. Despite my salsa verde turning out too watery since I overdid it with the lemon juice, there was not a drop left. The briny anchovies and capers were such a bold, vibrant punch of flavor. I truly will make all of these components again on their own - cod, the really hot spice mix, roasting sunchokes, and the salsa verde!
This looks amazing! I will definitely be trying both in the very near future...and if the weather holds, even dining outside!
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