Sunchokes really don’t look like much on first glance. I bet you’re thinking you’ve never seen one before, but I’d wager you’ve probably just not noticed them, or assumed they were ginger and walked on by. They’re the Mr. Cellophane of root vegetables.
A little background: Commonly referred to as “Jerusalem artichokes,” they are actually the tubers of a species of sunflower, native to North America, and originally cultivated by indigenous Americans. It’s unclear where the “Jerusalem” comes from, but it’s most likely a mishearing of Girasole (Jeer-a-SO-lay) which is the Italian word for sunflower. Allegedly it was explorer Samuel de Champlain who thought they tasted like artichokes, and sent them back to France with that description.
To me, they taste like a sweeter, nuttier, less starchy potato. And you can prepare them pretty much any way you’d prepare a potato as well.
In this recipe I treat them with two classic potato preparations: roasted and pureed, which I think highlights the best of its possible flavors and textures.
Chicken Breast is a favorite of home cooks and the perfect canvas for all the amazing flavor in this dish, but you could also do a vegetarian version with mushrooms as the star. Scroll down for the recipe.
EQUIPMENT: Cutting Board, Vegetable Peeler, Knife, Sheetpan, Blender, Large Skillet
Skillet Chicken and Mushrooms with Roasted Sunchoke Puree
Ingredients
- 2 Chicken Breasts
- 12-16 oz Mushrooms
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 2 sprigs Rosemary
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 2 tbsp Flour (plus extra for dredging)
- 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1-2 cups Water
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Sunflower Microgreens (optional)
- FOR THE PUREE:
- 1 lb. Sunchokes
- 2-3 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 cup Milk
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 2 tbsp Sour Cream (optional)
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat your oven to 425.
- Step 2 Peel your sunchokes using a standard vegetable peeler, but cut off any of the smaller bumps ahead of time (the ones you won’t be able to get your peeler around) and discard. NOTE: Sunchoke skin is perfectly edible, so don’t worry if you miss some spots.
- Step 3 Chop into equally sized pieces (approximately 1 inch), and in a mixing bowl toss them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread out on a sheet pan and roast for 20 minutes, until nicely browned and caramelized. Give them a toss halfway through the cooking time so they’ll brown evenly.
- Step 4 Mince the garlic and prep the mushrooms. Depending on what kind of mushrooms you’re working with, you might slice, chop, halve, or quarter them, whatever gets you to 1-inch, bite-size pieces. Set aside.
- Step 5 Prep the chicken breasts. Slice each in half lengthwise through the middle so you end up with four, slightly flatter chicken cutlets. Flatten them even more by covering with plastic wrap and pounding with a meat tenderizer or other heavy utensil. Season each piece on both sides with salt and pepper, and dredge in flour.
- Step 6 Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat, and fry the chicken cutlets until nicely golden, approximately 3-4 minutes on each side. Then transfer to a plate and set aside (They don’t have to be cooked through yet).
- Step 7 Lower the heat to medium, and add the butter, mushrooms, and garlic. Sautee for 1-2 minutes until the butter melts, the garlic is fragrant, and the mushrooms have softened slightly. Then add the flour and stir to coat the mushrooms. Cook for 1 minute before adding the liquid ingredients.
- Step 8 Add the mustard, worcestershire sauce, and rosemary. Slowly add the water, whisking to incorporate and scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add more or less water (up to 2 cups) to get your desired amount of sauce.
- Step 9 Return the chicken cutlets to the pan and cover them with the mushrooms and sauce. Cook until the chicken is cooked through, then turn the heat down to low and cover to keep warm while you finish the sunchoke puree.
- Step 10 By now, you should have taken the sunchokes out of the oven. While the chicken is finishing, warm the milk in a small saucepan just until it’s steaming slightly
- Step 11 no need to bring to boil. Add the warmed milk and the sunchokes to the blender along with the butter and sour cream (if using), and blend until smooth. Taste for salt and adjust.
- Step 12 Serve the chicken over or alongside the puree, smothered with the mushroom sauce. Garnish with microgreens if using.
Vegetarian Version: Balsamic Glazed Mushrooms
Scrap the chicken and instead use 16-24 ounces of large mushrooms, like portobello or king oyster. Cut them into “steaks,” approximately 1/2 an inch thick with flat sides (Portobellos you can leave whole or cut in half). Marinate them in 1 cup of olive oil, 1 cup of balsamic vinegar, a tablespoon of dijon mustard, 2 cloves of minced garlic, and some salt and pepper. Let sit for 30 minutes to an hour, while you make your sunchoke puree.
Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a sautee pan over medium high heat. Then add the mushrooms to the skillet. NOTE: Only sear as many at a time as will fit without crowding; you may have to work in batches. Sear on each side 2-3 minutes until nicely browned. Add a sprinkling of flour before flipping.
Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside. Pour out any excess oil and discard, then add the marinade to the pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom. Add the sprigs of rosemary and cook down for 10-15 minutes until reduced to a thick sauce.
