Roasted Sunchokes with Almonds & Goat Cheese

I fell in love with sunchokes (also known as Jerusalem artichokes) on restaurant menus but could never seem to find any to make at home. They look very similar to ginger root in their raw form, so I nearly bypassed them at my local farmers market before realizing what they were. If you’ve never had them, their texture is very similar to a potato but their flavor is much nuttier and sweeter. I did my best with them by recreating a dish I tried at a local restaurant, Tar & Roses, and it was to die for. Seriously, my fiancé and I were fighting over the bowl (I won). The lemon zest and goat cheese add a zip and tang and the almonds reinforce the chokes' nutty taste and provide extra crunch. It's a beautiful, complex side dish (or light lunch) that will probably upstage your main course.

Roasted Sunchokes with Almonds, Lemon Zest, & Goat Cheese:

• Thoroughly scrub 1 lb. of sunchokes under running water.*
• Pat dry and chop into bite-size pieces, then place on a baking sheet.
• Toss with 2 tbsp. olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Roast in a 425F oven for 25-30 minutes, or until tender and browned in some areas.
• Add in 1/3 c. whole amonds and toss with the sunchokes and return to the oven for another 3 minutes.
• Transfer to a serving bowl and top with the zest of 1 lemon and 2 oz. crumbled goat cheese.

Serves two-three (side dish)

*Sunchokes tend to be very sandy and gritty.