The Jerusalem artichoke is a great pretender to be enjoyed, reveals Anna Lamotte

January is a month of perhaps more frugal eating post the hedonistic indulgence of the festive period.

The days are lengthening but the root stores are dwindling. Cabbages, carrots, potatoes, leeks, kale and swede adorn our plates; warming, earthy and sustaining.

But in my opinion, the winter vegetable that takes the crown on all occasions is the little unassuming, knobbly tuber – the Jerusalem artichoke.

NOT AN ARTICHOKE!

A great pretender when it comes to nomenclature, the Jerusalem artichoke, known as a sunchoke to some, isn’t actually an artichoke after all, but a member of the sunflower family. Sometimes scorned at, sworn at, by the rigid gardener as the plant marches it’s way across the potager, if left to its own devices and not cornered in (or planted within a large container) it will engulf an area relatively quickly. But perhaps that’s not a bad thing…

It does, of course, come with its unfortunate nickname referring to its particularly effective ability to cause flatulence. The inulin stored within its flesh is unable to be broken down by the gut, but it is also responsible for the incredibly sweet taste that sits alongside the perfect nuttiness of the tuber.

HOW TO COOK THEM

Simply roasted, they turn into gooey, caramelised perfection. You can slice them thinly and store in a sweet pickle, ready to whip them out when you need a little zing to cut through a dish.

Or the absolute top of my list – the purée. Peel a few large handfuls of the little tubers – and cook in salted boiling water for approximately an hour until they are tender.

Drain, and only just cover with double cream (I know…), bringing it back to a gentle boil until the cream has reduced a little (perhaps by a third).

Throw your mix into a blender and whizz until perfectly smooth. If you want to be doubly sure of the consistency, you can run it through a sieve as well!

Taste and season and serve with pretty much anything at this time of year, but particularly brittleskinned pan-fried fish or gooey pork belly – if you can resist just eating it straight out of the pan!