This isn’t a very exact salad recipe because you can alter the quantities depending on what you have to hand or how you feel. However I would suggest keeping the ingredients along the same lines as the flavours all work well together. Resulting in a chunky, satisfying salad with soft, caramelised earthy roots, bitter tones of radicchio and parsley, creamy goats cheese and pops of freshness from the pomegranate seeds.
If you haven’t encountered Jerusalem artichokes before the nubby, ancient looking roots are usually available at farmers markets or more specialist grocery stores. They have a nutty taste slightly like parsnips or globe artichokes and can be treated cooking wise like a parsnip or potato. Jerusalem artichokes serve as a good source of prebiotic fibre, inulin. Inulin is not absorbed or broken down by the body during digestion supporting natural gut function and feeding the guts healthy bacteria.
Be aware if you are not used to eating Jerusalem artichokes that they can be difficult to digest so start with smaller portions.
Gluten Free and Vegetarian.
Serves 2 as a main, 4 as part of a selection
Total Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 large handfuls of Jerusalem artichokes
- 1 red onion
- 50 – 60grams of walnut halves
- 50 – 60grams goats cheese
- ½ radicchio lettuce head
- a small bunch of parsley
- a handful of pomegranate seeds
- olive oil
- sea salt
- balsamic vinegar
Method:
- Heat the oven to 180C.
- Firstly wash and scrub the Jerusalem artichokes to remove any dirt from them. Then cut into half or quarters of the larger artichokes so the pieces are roughly even. Peel the red onion and slice into wedges.
- Toss the onion and artichokes in olive oil and a good pinch of sea salt, lay on a baking tray and roast for 40 – 45minutes. Occasionally shaking the pan to ensure all round cooking.
- In the meantime toast your walnuts in a shallow pan or on a baking tray in the oven for a few minutes and prepare your other ingredients.
- Finely slice the radicchio, parsley and crumble the goats cheese, setting aside until the roots are ready.
- Once the Jerusalem artichokes and red onion are cooked toss together with the rest of the ingredients and serve while warm with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
