Cook and Drink

Always fun to shop at our organic supermarket and see what forgotten vegetables they have. This week they offered oca, Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus Tuberoses), parsnip, black radish and helianthus, which was new to us. We bought a few of the helianthus roots and when at home we started thinking about ways to prepare them. Both Jerusalem artichoke and the helianthus roots are a touch sweet and nutty. A purée perhaps? We then noticed a recipe for a tartelette with blue cheese. Great idea, but not so sure about the combination with pastry. After a few minutes we came up with the recipe below. The helianthus roots are creamier than the Jerusalem artichokes and this worked very well in the combination with blue cheese and crème fraîche.The dish is rich with a touch of freshness.

Wine Pairing

In general, we suggest a full bodied, well balanced red wine, with aromas of black fruit, perhaps liquorice and with supple tannins. 

What You Need

• Roots of the Helianthus Strumosus
• Crème Fraîche
• Roquefort

What You Do

Clean the roots and cook in boiling water for perhaps 5 minutes. They become soft very quickly. Drain and let cool. In parallel use a fork to combine equal parts of crème fraîche and Roquefort. Slice the roots and combine with the mixture. Place in ramekins and transfer to the oven at 200 °C or 390 °F for a few minutes, until hot and golden. You can also place them under the grill for a few minutes.

PS

Interested? Find out more about forgotten vegetables!

More PS

As Dorothy suggested (see below) it’s a great idea to fry or roast them with onions. We also added some garlic. Delicious!