Jerusalem Artichokes
from "Jane Brody's Good Food Book"

This vegetable, also called a sunchoke, is neither from Jerusalem (it is an American native), nor does it bear any resem-blance to a globe artichoke. Rather, it looks like a knobby root or potato. Actually, it is a tuber of a plant related to the sunflower, and was widely cultivated by American Indians. Sunchokes have a sweet, nutty flavor similar to that of an artichoke, and can be boiled or steamed like potatoes (to avoid blackening, do not use an aluminum pan), sautéed, or peeled, sliced, and eaten raw. Wrapped in plastic, they will keep in the refrigerator for about a week. Sunchokes contain a type of sugar, insulin, that can be safely consumed by diabetics. They are a source of calcium, iron, and magnesium.
 

Spicy & Sweet Chinese Cabbage
from the "Rolling Prairie Cookbook"
Serves 4

"The sweetness of golden raisins contrasts with the heat of hot pepper flakes in this quick and easy stir-fry featuring Chinese cabbage. How much hot pepper you use is up to your taste & tolerance -- it is quite delicious when slightly scorching hot. Serve with basmati rice as a side dish to accompany barbecued tempeh or pan-fried tofu."

1 tbsp. peanut oil
1 1/2 lbs. Chinese cabbage, thinly sliced (8 - 10 cups)
2 tsp. finely grated ginger root
crushed hot pepper flakes, to taste
1/4 C golden raisins, soaked in 1/2 C warm water, then drained
1 tbsp. honey or brown sugar
1 tbsp. cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt

Heat oil in deep skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add cabbage, ginger and hot pepper flakes. Stir-fry for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat to medium. Mix sweetener and vinegar together and pour over cabbage mixture. Toss in raisins, season with salt. Cook for approximately 3 more minutes, stirring often. Cabbage should be wilted but still slightly crunchy. Serve immediately.

**and** (the following was not in the paper version of the newsletter as there was not enough room, but as I was reading and looking for recipes I found this, and I thought it sounded useful and informative, so I am including it here -- debbie)

about Chinese Cabbage
also from the "Rolling Prairie Cookbook", a book whose author belongs to a CSA collective in Kansas!

"Also known as Napa Cabbage, Chinese Celery cabbage, or a host of other familiar and unfamiliar names, it refers broadly to that group of Brassica that are thinner-leafed than the more common head cabbage. The type of Chinese cabbage we're referring to here usually is a pale green, upright head with fanned out, highly veined, almost crinkled leaves. Chinese cabbage is juicy, tender, and much more mild than regular head cabbage -- so much so that you may even be able to convince a hesitant cabbage-eater to enjoy it either raw or cooked into a delicious stir-fry.
Handling: Chinese cabbage heads are often fairly large, which is okay since this watery vegetable cooks down considerably. It also stores well in the refrigerator, so if you have half a head left over you'll have time to make up another creative use for it. Your cabbage should have a somewhat firm head with no signs of browning. Keep the cabbage stored in a sealed plastic bag -- it will keep for up to two weeks if you're going to use it in a cooked dish. Eat it sooner if you want it crisp and raw for salads or dippers.
Simple Preparation: Separate leaves from the stalk and rinse carefully to remove soil and debris. Cut ribbons of the whole leaf to add to salads or as a last-minute addition to delicate clear broths and soups. For dipping, trim the leaves from the stalks and use like celery. You can prepare Chinese cabbage as a simple side dish by lightly stir-frying ribbons or large pieces of the whole leaf in a bit of hot sesame or peanut oil along with some crushed or minced garlic. Sprinkle lightly with soy sauce and stir until just wilted but still tender-crisp."