Author Notes: Now, who doesn’t love the creamy, earthy taste of an artichoke? But who wants to bring a giant bulb of freshly steamed leaves to a movie theater? Although it sounds delicious, it also seems like it would be a big mess and a lot of effort, neither of which are worth it. Lucky for us, artichokes have a flavor doppelganger – the SUNCHOKE – which happens to be easier to clean, cook, and eat. Most importantly, these little nubs of flavor make delicious chips! By leaving the skin on, you can create a crispy outer crust while leaving the inner rings moist and plump, tasting just like an artichoke. These sunchoke rounds can be whipped up in minutes and their unique taste will be such a success that you may even forget you were watching a movie. Throw them in a paper bag and enjoy! —Sodium Girl
Serves: a whole group of friends
Ingredients
-
10
sunchoke bulbs
-
1/2
cup canola oil
Directions
- Begin to heat a large, deep pan (like a wok) and add the canola oil.
- Clean the sunchokes and then use a mandoline or knife to slice thin, chip rounds.
- Use the spit test to see if oil is hot. (Spit test is when you flick some water or a small piece of the sunchoke into the oil. If it hisses and spits back at you, the oil is ready to go).
- In small batches, add the sunchokes to the oil and let them fry for 2-3 minutes. You do not want the pan to be crowded.
- Remove the sunchokes with tongs or a spider skimmer and let them cool on a paper-towel lined plate. Repeat step 4 and 5 until all the sunchoke slices have been crisped.
- You can salt, pepper, or cayenne these treats, but they taste quite flavorful without any spice. To serve, scoop them into a paper bag (if you are going to the theater) or a bowl (if you are staying at home). Chow on.