I grow a patch of Jerusalem artichokes, also called sunchokes, in my backyard. The second year I harvested them, I had more than I could possibly use. I found a willing taker in the James Beard Award–winning chef Ben Barker, who along with his pastry chef wife, Karen, owned the now-closed Magnolia Grill in Durham, North Carolina. (It should be noted that Karen has her own James Beard Award.) In exchange for the artichokes, Ben shared this relish recipe with me. Be sure to clean the artichokes with a scrub brush to remove all of the dirt and cut off any damaged or soft spots. This relish is a nice crunchy addition to potato salad, egg salad, or macaroni salad and is also a good topping for a bowl of pinto beans or field peas.
1 gallon plus 2 cups cold water, divided
1 1/2 cups kosher salt, divided
3 1/2 pounds Jerusalem artichokes, scrubbed, trimmed, and diced
2 cups diced red bell pepper
2 cups diced yellow bell pepper
2 cups diced onion
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
5 cups apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons turmeric
Place 1 gallon cold water and 1 cup salt in a large bowl. Stir to dissolve the salt. Add the artichokes. Soak overnight or at least for 5–6 hours. Rinse and drain well.
Place the bell peppers, onion, 1/2 cup salt, and 2 cups water in another large bowl. Let soak for 1 hour. Rinse, drain, and combine with the artichokes.
Combine the sugars, vinegar, mustard seeds, red pepper flakes, and turmeric in a stainless-steel saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for 2 minutes. Pour over the artichoke mixture. Let cool to room temperature.
Pack in the hot, sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Follow the instructions for boiling-water canning on page 10. Process the jars for 10 minutes. Let sit for at least 2 weeks before enjoying.