Sunchokes are one of my favorites and I get excited when they pop up at the market. My favorite way to prepare them as a side is roasted. I usually cut them into pieces and boil them in salted water till tender, 15 minutes. After they have cooled I toss them lightly in oil and roast them in the oven till they get crisp. Biggest piece of advise is make sure you rinse them well before starting. Sunchokes are good at hiding dirt like leeks.

Soup is always a winner too. Towards the end of the season I will pickle them. I add whole mustard seed, turmeric, and cayenne to the pickling liquid. They come out a stunning bright yellow.

They are great roasted or in a pureed soup. Here's a list of sunchoke recipes: http://food52.com/recipes/search?q=sunchokes