Smashed Sunchokes with Thyme-Butter

Ingredients

• 1 pound sunchokes, rinsed and trimmed of any dark spots
• Kosher salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons canola or other neutral oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Large pinch freshly picked thyme leaves
• Flaky salt, such as Maldon, for serving

Directions

1. Put the sunchokes in a medium saucepan and add enough cold water to cover them by 1 inch. Salt the water well, until it tastes pleasantly seasoned, like soup. Place the pan over high heat and let it come to a boil, then lower the heat so the water settles into a gentle simmer. Cook until a paring knife slides into a sunchoke with just a little resistance, about 10 minutes; don’t let them go mushy on you.
2. Pour the sunchokes into a fine-mesh strainer or colander to drain. Once you can handle them comfortably, set them on a work surface or cutting board. Smash them 1 sunchoke at a time with the bottom of a heavy skillet, pressing firmly until each one is flattened but still intact; easy does it, because you want them squashed, not shattered.
3. Warm the oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Arrange the sunchokes in a single layer and let them cook undisturbed until the bottoms are nicely browned, about 3 minutes. Turn them over, add the butter to the skillet, and let it melt. Stir half of the thyme into the butter, then keep cooking while spooning that thyme butter over the sunchokes, until the second side is browned, about 3 minutes longer.
4. Move the sunchokes to a serving plate and drizzle the thyme butter from the skillet over the top. Finish with the remaining freshly picked thyme leaves and a sprinkle of flaky salt. Serve immediately.