The only way you will ever make these pickes is to grow Jerusalem Artichokes yourself, or know somebody else who grows them. For a vegetable that is so easy to grow, they are ridiculously expensive to buy here. The pre-soaking time in the salt solution keeps the pickles crunchy. Jerusalem artichokes are also called sunchokes.
You will need:
500g Jerusalem artichokes
3 medium onions
2 cups apple cider vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
3 teaspoons mustard powder
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
4-5 whole cloves
Cooking salt
Method:
1. Wash, peel and slice the artichokes (about 5mm thick). Peel and slice the onion into rings. Place them in a large ceramic bowl, sprinkle add about 4 tablespoons of salt through the cut vegetables and cover with cold water. Leave overnight.
2. The next day, drain off the salty liquid from the vegetables and rinse well in cold water. Allow to drain in a colander.
Wash jar/s and sterilise. Sterilise lids also. You will need approx 1000ml worth of jars (assorted sizes are ok).
3. Pack the combined vegetables into the sterile jars.
4. Place the vinegar and the sugar in a saucepan and add the turmeric, the mustard seeds and powder and the cloves. Stir to dissolve the sugar and then bring to the boil. Allow to simmer for 3-4 minutes. Pour the hot liquid over the vegetables in the jars. Make sure the vegies are completely covered and use a skewer to release any bubbles.
5. Lid tightly. You should allow about 2-3 weeks for the flavours to develop before using.
Jerusalem Artichokes are knobbly little tubers that do not resemble the Globe Artichoke in any way, shape or form. They are very good for you but have the unfortunate nickname of Jerusalem ‘Fartichokes’ as they notorious for wind-inducing due to their insoluble fibre. Pickle them instead for a crunchy tasty and gas-free preserve!