Baked Jerusalem Artichokes with Bread Crumbs, Thyme and Lemon

I overheard a woman in the school yard yesterday saying how she was so bored with winter that she couldn't even find anything she wanted to eat.  It's easy to feel that sense of malaise in March, when winter feels interminable.  There may be a few more solid weeks of cold, so I'm trying to use this time to eat some really delicious warming foods.  Before long we will all be basking in the possibilities of really fresh salads and a new crop of Spring fruits and vegetables.

Sunroot, Jerusalem Artichoke, aka sunchoke.  It's not an artichoke, but it kind of tastes like one.  It's worth seeking it out and making this gratin before this winter passes us by, which surely it will.

As tubers go, this one is pretty special, coming from a sunflower. Knobby like ginger, so it takes some persistence to peel.  But a little stick-to-itiveness sometimes makes a dish even more rewarding. 

Baked Jerusalem Artichokes, Bread Crumbs, Thyme and Lemon

From Jamie Oliver

This would be a great accompaniment to any roast meat or broiled fish. Don't slice the artichokes too thick or you will wind up baking the dish a lot longer than 30 minutes.

Serves 4-6

1 ⅓ cup heavy cream 

juice of 1 lemon

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

1 good handful of fresh thyme, leaves picked from stems and chopped

3 handfuls of grated Parmesan cheese

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 ¼ lbs Jerusalem artichokes, peeled and sliced as thick as a pencil

2 good handfuls of fresh bread crumbs (I made mine in a food processor using rosemary sourdough bread)

olive oil

Preheat your oven to 425 F.  In a bowl, mix your cream, lemon juice, garlic, half the thyme and most of the Parmesan and season well to taste.  Throw in the sliced Jerusalem artichokes.  Mix well and place everything in an ovenproof baking dish. 

Mix the breadcrumbs with the rest of the thyme and Parmesan and some salt and a little olive oil.  Bake in the oven for around 30 minutes, until the artichokes are tender and the bread crumbs are golden.  

Braised Red Cabbage

A few years ago, doing something nice for myself meant getting a manicure, buying a new accessory, or treating myself to flowers.  Somewhere between then and now, to the dismay of my fashionista friends, I became a simpler person.  Content with a brisk walk and some people-watching.  Happy to listen to music that uplifts me and toss a ball with Roman.  And lately I am more concerned with what goes in my body than external flourishes.  I've discovered there are other ways to treat myself.  

This morning I thought about what to cook this week and I made a list of vegetables that we rarely eat anymore.  

-cabbage

-green beans

-brussels sprouts

-eggplant

I was surprised that the winter months had left me short on inspiration.  So I devised a plan for the week with the idea of varying our diet.  When I brought home this red cabbage, it felt like the equivalent of buying myself a bouquet of blooms.  Red cabbage is unbelievably healthy.  But forget about phytonutrients and antioxidants.  Just rest assured that this cruciferous vegetable does a body good. 

When Roman saw the big purple globe he wanted to eat it immediatley, never mind that it was raw.  Perhaps it was the allure of eating a purple vegetable.  I can't say he loved it, but maybe he will next time.  And until then, we're redefining the definition of treat in this household.

Braised Red Cabbage with Apple and Onion

Adapted from Jane Brody's Good Food Book

Red cabbage turns blue when cooked unless you add vinegar.  Serve alongside sausage, pork chops or fish, or to keep it meat-free, try it mixed in with whole-wheat pasta.  For extra pop, add some toasted cumin or caraway seeds.  This can be eaten hot or cold.

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 red onion, chopped 

1 1/4 lbs red cabbage (one small head), cored and thinly sliced

1 Golden Delicious apple, peeled, quartered, cored and thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon salt

cracked black pepper

1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

1 cup water

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Melt the butter in a large skilled and add the onion.  Sauté for one minute.

Add the cabbage and apple and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.

Combine the salt, pepper, brown sugar, water and vinegar.  Add this to the cabbage mixture.  

Cover the pot and cook over low heat for 30 minutes.