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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 29 JANUARY 2017 35 Jerusalem artichokes THE Jerusalem artichoke, abun- dant at this time of year, is not as popular as it should be – and in fact banned from many kitchens – as a result of its flatulence-induc- ing properties, which is a shame as it is a low-calorie substitute for potato and contains even more flavour. The Jerusalem artichoke is nei- ther an artichoke nor is it from Je- rusalem but it is a tuber that looks similar to ginger roots, with light brown skin which may be tinged with yellow, red, or purple depend- ing on the soil they are grown in. So how did the Jerusalem arti- choke get its name? Samuel de Champlain first discovered what are also known as sunchokes, growing in the Americas in the 1600s and thought they tasted like artichokes. The tubers were intro- duced to Europe where they were grown with some success in France and later on in Italy. The Jerusalem part of the name has been attrib- uted to a corruption of the Italian word for sunflower girasole which literally means turning to the sun. Jerusalem artichokes make you fart For many years, the Jerusalem ar- tichoke was shunned due to an old wives' tale linking it to leprosy sim- ply because of the similarity of the tubers to the shape of deformed fingers caused by the disease. Today many people still shy away from them because of their diges- tive downsides, but do Jerusalem artichokes actually make you fart? The storage carbohydrate of a Je- rusalem artichoke is inulin instead of starch, which breaks down into fructose sugars rather than sucrose or glucose, making it a low-calorif- ic food which is useful in diabetic diets. As digestive enzymes do not target insulin it remains intact through the small intestine result- ing in a large presence of insulin in the large intestine. Only a small amount is released in urine and none reaches the stools because it is completely fermented by mi- crobial fauna, where by products of hydrogen and carbon dioxide is released as flatulence. Selection and storage Choose smooth, clean, unblem- ished, firm tubers with a mini- mum of bumps. Farmers are at- tempting to breed out the bumps in newer varieties, so you will find some are less knobby than others. Avoid those with wrinkled skins, soft spots, blotched green areas or sprouts. Jerusalem artichokes may be eaten raw or cooked. Before eat- ing or cooking, scrub the tubers thoroughly with a vegetable brush. Peeling can be difficult due to the protuberances and is not neces- sary. The peels are perfectly edible. However, if you must peel them, slice off the smaller bumpy areas and remove skin with a vegetable peeler. If you will be eating them cooked, you will find it easier to boil, steam or microwave them whole and unpeeled first, and then peel if necessary. Jerusalem artichokes should be handled with care as they bruise easily. Raw Jerusalem artichokes should be stored in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from light. They may also be stored in the vegetable drawer of the refrig- erator, wrapped in paper towels to absorb humidity, and sealed in a plastic bag. Depending on how long they have been sitting at the market, raw Jerusalem artichokes can be stored from 1 to 3 weeks. Cooked Jerusalem artichokes should be refrigerated and con- sumed within 2 days. Freezing is not recommended due to discol- oration and deterioration of tex- ture. Preparation ideas Simply stewed with garlic, pars- ley and chili is maybe the most common method of preparing this vegetable, but there are many oth- er ways of serving. They may be sliced very thinly when raw, then dressed in olive oil and lemon and served with rocket and bread, or try poaching in salted water then dipping in a light beer batter and deep frying. They make a great pasta sauce and go equally well in risotto served with soft cheese. Fine food of the week Food Ingredients • 450g penne rigate • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil • 1 onion, chopped • 4 cloves garlic, chopped • 750g Jerusalem Artichokes, scrubbed and washed • Pinch of chili • Salt and pepper • Finely chopped parsley • 200ml vegetable stock • 4 fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped • Shavings of Grana Padano, to serve. Method 1. Chop artichokes into chunks and keep in cold water. 2. Heat oil in a pot and soften onion and garlic. 3. Add drained artichokes and season with salt, pepper and chili. Stir fry for a couple of minutes then add the parsley. 4. Add the stock and cover. Sim- mer gently for about 15 min- utes. 5. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for a further 10 min- utes till the artichokes are ten- der. 6. Meanwhile cook the pasta in salted water till al dente and serve tossed with the sauce and Parmesan shavings. Recipe of the week Penne with Jerusalem artichokes Turning to the sun Serves 2 (as a starter or 1 as a main)