January 15, 2021

My First Hopniss Harvest

I'm guessing you're wondering what hopniss (hopnisses?) is (are?)! They are Apios americana, also known as potato bean, Indian potato, or groundnuts. But they're nothing like nuts!


Peanuts are sometimes called groundnuts too, but these are a perennial vine that produces edible beans and edible tubers. I thought, for sure, I took photos of it growing over the summer, but I can't find them, which is too bad, because it's an attractive plant.


The tubers grow in strings, like beads. That made it fun to hunt for them and dig them up. Dan built a raised bed last spring and planted six small tubers. The other day I harvested a nice bowlful of goodly sized groundnuts. They can be harvested any time of year, but are said to be sweeter in the fall after the vines die back. Here's my first harvest.


Of course, we were curious about the taste! For our first sample, I roasted a bunch with carrots, onions, and the last of the garden broccoli.


I read it's best to peel them because the peels tend to be tough, especially on the older ones. I rarely peel veggies before cooking, but I peeled these because I wanted them to make a good impression! I tossed everything in a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Then, I baked them in my toaster oven at 425°F (220°C) for 30 minutes.


How do they taste? Very mild. Dan thought even a little peanutty. Similar to potato, but drier. In fact, I think next time I'll try boiling them like potatoes. The other thing I'd like to try is to dry them and then grind them to use as flour. I read that a number of Native American tribes used them like that. 

I left the smaller tubers in the bed and planted Jerusalem artichokes with them. These are a smooth variety called Gute Gelbe. 


Jerusalem artichokes (aka sunchokes) are said to provide something for the vines to climb on. We like roasted sunchokes, but the wild ones are very knobby and difficult to clean! I'm hoping this variety will be easier.

So that's my "new to me" new vegetable! How about you? Have you tried anything new lately?

16 comments:

Toirdhealbheach Beucail said...

I have never heard of these before Leigh. How interesting. Reminds me a bit of a daikon radish, at least the peeled appearance.

Gorges Smythe said...

They grow around some of the creeks here, but they run pretty small.

tpals said...

Very interesting! Nothing that I've seen before. Also fun that you still had broccoli to harvest. Here we have a blizzard. :(

Leigh said...

TB, I only learned about them last year. Yes, just as snowy white as a daikon, but very different otherwise! (We eat daikons too :)

Gorges, that's what I understand about the wild strains, they run small. But a bunch of years ago, a professor at LSU started working with them and developed some larger producing strains. So those are now available. Larger is nicer! Less fussy to clean and peel. :)

Tpals, I admit the broccoli was a bit frostbit looking. Wouldn't pass muster in a grocery store, but still edible!

wyomingheart said...

That looks like a great veggie! We have not heard of those. We did try daikons last year, but they were a no show. I’m not sure what I did wrong with them. Those hopniss look like a great alternative for potato. Curious about how they rate after boiling, so please update! You bring me hopniss this morning... lol !

daisy g said...

Fascinating! I've never heard of this crop before. I'm working on my turmeric inventory, hoping to have enough to share this spring.

Enjoy your weekend, Leigh!

Leigh said...

Wyomingheart, I'm curious to try this a couple more ways, so I will indeed update!

Daisy, now, turmeric is one I need to look in to. I don't know anything about growing it, but I think it would be great to add to the growing list!

Retired Knitter said...

Never have I seen anything like this. Interesting.

Cockeyed Jo said...

Interesting. For every veggie know there are at least ten I don't know,

Ed said...

That is a new to me vegetable as well.

We are gearing up to try a lot of new to us crops next spring though I have heard and eaten all of them in my life, just not attempted to grow them. Unlike groundnuts.

Frugal in Derbyshire said...

They look a little like Jerusalem Artichokes.
Last year I grew loofahs (luffas) for the first time.

Leigh said...

Jo, especially when it comes to perennials. Or varieties grown in other parts of the world. The variety is endless!

Ed, at least you know you like them. :) It's fun to experiment and see how things grow in your area.

Gill, the last photo is Jerusalem artichokes. Of course, there are different varieties and they look different! I wish I could find the photos I took last summer. The aerial parts of the plants are completely different.

Rosalea said...

"Knobby and difficult to clean" is right! That variety (gute gelbe)looks interesting. How does the flavour compare to the wild ones? I dug some of ours last fall, and wasn't too impressed with the taste. Planning to plant some kohlrabi this spring, which is something I've never grown before.

Leigh said...

Rosalea, I just planted them so we'll have to wait till next winter for a taste test! Mostly, I roast sunchokes, usually in a veggie mix. They sweeten nicely this way. We can't eat them raw because they produce too much gas. :o

Rain said...

Very neat Leigh! I've never heard of those veggies before. I have to admit I haven't tasted any new veggies in a long time, but I'm starting to think about planting some lettuce this spring. I won't be doing a full garden until I get the house more in shape and figure out where everything is going to live out there!

Leigh said...

Rain, you're going about it just right; get your house in order and observe your land while you're doing that. Even so, good for you for getting at least a small garden in!