The latke evolves

Inspired by my love for German potato pancakes, these latkes are among my favorite dishes we created at the café.* Sunchokes (aka Jerusalem artichokes) possess a starchy texture akin to potatoes but are much healthier. These latkes make a wonderful vegetable side or appetizer and are particularly tasty when served with apple sauce and/or vegan sour cream. Although there’s a bit of work shredding vegetables, it’s worth the effort, as they are so yummy (and healthy).

Sunchoke parsnip latkes<br /> Yields 21-24 patties

Ingredients
2½ cups sunchokes, shredded
2 cups carrots, julienned
2 cups parsnips, julienned
1 shallot, minced
1 cup red onion, diced
1 cup scallion, sliced
2 teaspoons thyme
2 teaspoons sage
2 teaspoons rosemary
1 cup brown rice flour
6 tablespoons olive oil plus additional for greasing the pan
1 teaspoon fine sea salt salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Method
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease a baking sheet. In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients until fully blended (I usually use my hands with food prep gloves). Take a small handful and smash it into patties, about 2” in diameter. Keep in mind that you will need to use a little muscle to smash patties as they are not super cohesive before baking. But keep the faith, because it will work out in the end. On the prepared baking sheet, place the patties one inch apart. Bake for 15 minutes, flip, then bake another 10 minutes until the edges are slightly crisp.

Note: Sunchokes are a fantastic option for people with diabetes or those struggling to manage their blood sugar. They have a low glycemic index, and some suggest that they may even aid in reversing blood sugar levels.

* Gabelmann was the owner of Conscious Fork, a vegan cafe that operated in Warwick for a dozen years. This recipe is from her new cookbook, Conscious Fork: Nourishing the Mind, Body & Soil (2025), available from consciousfork.com and Goshen Green Farm.