Jerusalem Artichokes with Bacon, Onion, & Mushrooms

Two years ago we planted some Jerusalem artichokes, and they have been growing in the garden ever since. After the first summer we poked around and were underwhelmed by the number of apparent tubers, so we left them along for another year. Last fall we were too distracted to try to dig any up. However, we expected we could dig some in the spring.

We obviously left them a little too long as they are starting to sprout. Common sense says they would be, by now, but I think we were lulled into a false sense of their dormancy by how chilly it has been. They were quite useable, though! On the other hand, I have to say we were still underwhelmed by the quantity of tubers, and also impressed by how deep they were. They were quite hard to dig up!

4 servings
40 minutes prep time

Once they were up, it was quite quick and easy to fry them up and eat them for lunch...

2 cups sliced Jerusalem artichokes
1 medium onion
3 cloves of garlic
6 slices of bacon
6 large button mushrooms
1 cup water
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

Wash, trim and slice the Jerusalem artichokes. Peel and chop the onion. Peel and mince the garlic. Chop the bacon (cut it into 1" strips). Clean and slice the mushrooms.


Start the bacon cooking in a large skillet. Once it has rendered some fat and is about half cooked, remove it to a plate, leaving the fat in the pan. Add the Jerusalem artichokes and the water, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the water is gone and the Jerusalem artichokes are about half cooked; about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the bacon back into the pan, along with the onion and mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently, for about another 10 minutes, until everything is tender and slightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for just another minute or so.

Turn it into a serving dish and garnish it with the chopped parsley.




Last year at this time I made Stewed Rhubarb & Figs. 

Posted in: Ontario Food