Kohlrabi, also known as a “German turnip,” is a member of the cabbage family and resembles–no kidding–the little green martians from the Toy Story movies. Seriously. See? Now you’ve got to give it a try!
Eat What:
-Kohlrabi was actually bred artifically (to ensure its spherical shape) from the wild cabbage plant (which is true also for cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, kale, collard greens and Brussels sprouts)
-Taste and texture resemble the stalk of a broccoli and can be eaten raw or cooked
-Kohlrabi is widely used in Central Europe and Asia, although is not as common in the US
Eat When:
-Growing season for kohlrabi is quite short–enjoy from late May to the end of June
Eat Right:
-Store unwashed, uncut bulbs in the fridge for about a week
-To prepare: peel skin with a pairing knife or peeler, then slice, dice or grate to eat raw
-To cook: steam or boil the bulb whole, then peel after cooling
Eat More:
-Try it grated raw in a slaw
-Add it to a curry
–Puree it and serve alongside steak or chicken
I found this recipe online (it’s not like I have recipes for kohlrabi in my back pocket or anything), and it looks so good. If I weren’t leaving to go out of town tomorrow, I’d go out and buy some today to make this for dinner. It’s certainly not ‘light,’ by any stretch, but then, not everything has to be.
3 Tbsp butter
4 kohlrabi, peeled and diced
8 ounces thick ham, diced
2 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley
3 egg yolks
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
Pinch of mace (can substitute ground nutmeg)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large skillet, melt the butter on medium heat. Add the diced kohlrabi and gently cook for 8 to 10 minutes.
2 Beat the egg yolk, and whisk in the heavy cream, flour, mace, salt and pepper until well combined.
3 Place half of the cooked kohlrabi on the bottom of an oven-proof casserole dish. Layer on the diced ham and parsley. Top with the remaining kohlrabi. Pour the sauce ingredients over the kohlrabi and ham.
4 Bake for 30-35 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Serve immediately.
Serves 4.
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Holly R. Layer received a B. A. in Journalism from Penn State and served four years in the U. S. Air Force before deciding to go back to school to become a Registered Dietician. She loves running, reading, fine stationery, colorful kitchen gadgets and ALL things food-related. An avid cook and baker, you can find her in the kitchen most days whipping up something yummy. Too bad her husband, Andrew (an East Aurora native) is the pickiest man alive! You can find her at www.thefrozenpineapple.com.