Chinese Artichoke

We have been sent these little beauties from many parts of NZ, however we believe that they came to New Zealand with the Chinese Gold miners, and so are quite common around the old gold mining towns of Coromandel, Central Otago etc. They are a member of the mint family, and grow just like mint, so keep them in a barrel if you're worried about them running away. LIke the yams, do not harvest until the tops have died right back, which will be in the middle of the winter up  north. They taste a lot like kumara, but look like maggots or similar, certainly like wriggly grubs! They require very little cooking, just two minutes or they go soft. Sauteed is best.