Forgotten vegetables: the saga continues...

Come autumn, this domestic demi-goddess is in her element as she peruses the shelves of the supermarkets and farm stands. Pears and parsnips, maple syrup, hare, pheasant and partridge, wild mushrooms: you name it, I love it. The fresher the spoils of the forest, the better although I do tend to draw the line at foraging for them myself. My grandfather used to shoot rabbits for Sunday lunch and to this day I still cannot bring myself to eat this typically Flemish delicacy.

This preamble brings me to the subject of today's post. In October, Jerusalem artichokes become a staple ingredients of our menu. These gnarly looking fellows are reminiscent in taste of garlic or mushrooms.

Sautéed, they become soft like potatoes. If they're early in the season, you can leave the peel on. As the season progresses, you might consider peeling them.

Tonight's fare was pretty simple:
Peel 600-700 g of Jerusalem artichokes and put in a large oiled pan. Sautée on medium heat until golden on all sides. Finely slice two cloves of garlic, grab some bay leaves and add to the pan. Splash with some white wine vinegar. Cover and let sautée until soft. Shift the artichokes to the side. Add a handful of sage leaves (we always grow some in our window boxes, wards off the evil spirits and is a great friend of pork chops) and 12 pancetta slices (we don't believe in scrimping here) to the pan.

Fry bacon and sage until crisp. And voilà, you have a nice autumn salad.


Photos taken with my phone, hence the pathetic quality. The salad, in contrast, was excellent and polished off by all and sundry.