Cooked, raw, fried, reduced to puree: there are many ways to cook Jerusalem artichoke, a tuber with countless resources: Did you know that it is gluten-free and therefore suitable for the celiac diet? It is indicated for those suffering from diabetes because it has the property of lowering the level of absorption by the intestine of sugars and cholesterol. It is also rich in vitamin A and B. To cook it, follow our advice.

Topinambur, escarole and gorgonzola salad

This is a fast and very tasty salad that can become a unique dish. Chop 1 celeriac, 4 Jerusalem artichokes and an apple into small pieces. Dip them in a bowl with water acidulated with half a lemon. Wash a head of scarola well and reduce it into strips. Separately, roughly chop 50 g of walnuts. Add the vegetables and the apple in a large bowl; in the mixer pour 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and 2 of apple vinegar, add the walnut kernels, 50 g of sweet gorgonzola, a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper. Blend until you get a thick cream with which you will garnish the salad.

Crunchy chips

To prepare thinly slice the Jerusalem artichokes and leave them to soak in cold water for about 30 minutes. Then dry the slices, pass them in the flour and fry them in abundant olive oil with a clove of garlic in a shirt and a sprig of rosemary. Serve as soon as they are golden with a pinch of salt.

Delicious skewers

This appetizing finger food can be prepared in advance and heated in the oven just before serving. Cut the Jerusalem artichokes into small slices and cut a slice of pumpkin into small pieces and place them on a baking tray covered in oven at 180 ° for 25 minutes. After 10 minutes sprinkle the pumpkin slices with grated Parmesan. In a pan, cook the peeled onions for 20 minutes with a tablespoon of sugar, a bay leaf, a chili pepper, a knob of butter, salt, half a glass of white wine and a tablespoon of vinegar. Form the kebabs by piercing 3 sticks of Jerusalem artichoke and two onions in each stick. Finish with the pumpkin au gratin.

Jerusalem artichoke flan with chestnuts

A perfect appetizer for this period. Peel the Jerusalem artichokes and collect them in a bowl with cold water acidulated with a little lemon juice. Cut them into regular pieces and steam them until they are tender. Then whisk with two tablespoons of robiola, grated Parmesan, 2 eggs, salt and pepper; pour the mixture into 8 buttered molds and bake at 180 ° for 25 minutes. In a saucepan, brown 200 g of chestnuts already boiled with a knob of butter and a few sprigs of thyme. Turn out the flan and garnish with the crumbled chestnuts.

Fusilli with Jerusalem artichokes and hazelnuts

For this recipe you can use handmade fusilli, if you don't have time, simply spaghetti. Prepare it this way: cut and peel the Jerusalem artichokes which you will put in a saucepan to boil with a drizzle of oil, water and a clove of garlic. When they are tender, remove the garlic and shake them with the addition of grated pecorino, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a handful of white pepper. Meanwhile boil the fusilli, drain and season with the Jerusalem artichoke sauce. Add a handful of chopped hazelnuts and fresh mint.

Risotto with Jerusalem artichoke, pumpkin and gorgonzola

For this risotto, sauté the shallot, season with the diced pumpkin and topinambur, toast the rice and then cover everything with vegetable broth. Once cooked, it will take 12-15 minutes, stir it and melt the gorgonzola cut into small pieces.

Soup with bread and cheese

A simple and very tasty dish, which is prepared in no time. In a pot, slice the shallot, the Jerusalem artichoke and a head of Belgian endive. Fry everything for a few minutes and then add the finely chopped fennel to the vegetables. Add some vegetable broth and cook over low heat for at least an hour. Separately, cut into small pieces, without removing the crust, a few slices of Altamura bread which you will toast in the oven at 180 ° for 8 minutes. Place the slices of bread in a baking pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, pour the soup and garnish with a sprinkling of grated Bitto cheese. Grill au gratin for 5 minutes and serve steaming.

Topinambur cream with ham choux

For a sophisticated first course. Prepare the cream by frying the sliced ​​shallots in a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and brown the Jerusalem artichokes cut into small pieces. Add a liter and a half of broth, a sprig of thyme, salt and pepper and cook for 30 minutes. When they are ready, remove the thyme and blend the cream, adding 100 g of cream. Separately prepare the choux pastry as described below, and garnish the cream puffs with a cream made by blending cooked ham, grated Parmesan and a dash of milk. Serve the Jerusalem artichoke cream with the ham puffs.

Scallops and Jerusalem artichokes on Catalonian sauce

This recipe could be an elegant appetizer or, if you prefer, a second course of fish. To prepare it, clean the scallops and separate the coral from the walnut, and then brown them in a knob of butter. Meanwhile, dice the Jerusalem artichokes and dip them in boiling salted water for about 8 minutes. Drain and fry in a pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a thinly sliced ​​shallot. Also boil the Catalonia and when it is cooked whisk it with a spoonful of milk until you get a cream. Serve the scallops with the diced topinambur and finish with the Catalonian sauce.

Boccice of lobster with diced topinambur and orange

This dish combines the sweetness of lobster with that of Jerusalem artichoke. You can serve it as an appetizer or as a second course. Boil the lobster and cut it into small pieces. Add fennel cut into thin wedges and peeled orange slices. Separately boil the Jerusalem artichokes after having stripped them and cut them into small pieces. Let them cook in a drizzle of oil and a clove of garlic in a shirt and add them to the lobster. Season everything with the juice of an emulsified orange with oil, salt and pepper.