Not artichokes but a relative of the sunflower.
You can just scrub them, cut them in half and put them on a baking tray, sprinkle with olive oil and roast till soft and golden and serve sprinkled with a little salt.
Or try this recipe with bay leaves. Serves 4.
Ingredients
600g Jerusalem artichokes
Bay leaves - fresh is better for this recipe if you have them
2 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
White wine vinegar
Olive oil
Method
Peel the artichokes then cut them into chunks.
Place them in a frying pan with enough oil to cover the pan and fry over a medium heat until they are golden on both sides, then add a couple of bay leaves, the garlic and a splash of white wine vinegar and some salt and pepper. Place a lid on the top.
After about 20 minutes they will have softened up and you can remove the lid and the bay leaves.
Continue cooking to crisp up the artichoke chunks, then serve.