What is it and what do I do with it?
Kohlrabi is yet another member of the brassica family. There are two varieties: white (pale green) and purple. The flavor of this wonderful anti-oxidant is similar to broccoli, but sweeter, milder, and less fibrous. It contains over 100% of the RDA in vitamin C along with vitamins A, K, and B-complex, as well as an array of minerals. The leaves and stems are also edible and rich in nutrients. While it is commonly eaten raw in salads and slaws, it can be cubed and cooked in soups, stews, and roasted with other root vegetables. Add the stems to you next stir fry to add a little sweetness.
Storage
Kohlrabi tastes better fresh, but it stores well for a few weeks when refrigerated in high humidity. It is best to store with the plant intact as the leaves and stems will wilt and soften rapidly if removed from the base. Note, in general as the base dries it will be less tender.
Preparation
Remove the stems first (if still connected). For eating raw, it is best to remove the outer skin of the base. It is easiest to peel with a vegetable peeler when the base is intact. Next, the base is halved top to bottom and halved again into quarters. Slice on an angle at the bottom to remove the woodier core. From there it can be cubed, shredded, matchsticked or cut in a variety of ways with a mandolin.
Recipes
[catlist name=”Recipes” tags=”kohlrabi” orderby=title order=asc numberposts=-1]
6 thoughts to “Kohlrabi”
Kohlrabi aficionado Gary says, “I like to peel it and then devour it whole, raw, as fresh from the field as possible, like a sweet cabbagey apple.” Kohlrabi aficionado Gary adds, “Drool…”
The leaves are great sauteed in a bit of olive oil. After a minute or two & pour in a little vegetable broth & simmer for a couple more minutes. Season with fresh ground pepper & any other spices you like…yum!
PS I do this with pretty much all the leafy tops of things we pick up!
Tangy Kohlrabi Slaw
½ cup orange juice
¼ cup lime juice (2 limes)
1 T. honey
¼ cup vegetable oil
4 kohlrabi, peeled and shredded
¼ cup chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper
Combine orange juice and lime juice in small saucepan, bring to simmer, and cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Stir in honey until melted, about 30 seconds. Transfer juice mixture to large bowl and, whisking constantly, drizzle in oil. Add kohlrabi and cilantro to bowl with dressing, toss to coat, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen Simple Weeknight Favorites
Here’s our family’s favorite way to eat kohlrabi: Peel and slice the kohlrabi and cook it in boiling water until just tender, maybe 5-10 minutes. Drain and toss it w/ some melted butter. I don’t measure but I’d say if you do 4 cups of sliced kohlrabi, maybe use 2-3 Tbsp of butter. If in doubt, err on using more butter, it makes all the difference! Place the kohlrabi in a greased pan dusted w/ breadcrumbs (I use whole wheat panko). Sprinkle generously with grated Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper and more panko. Bake at 350 for 1 hr or until topping is browned. It’s delicious!
We are not big kohlrabi people, but we liked this one! Thanks!!
We make chili-dusted kohlrabi fries every time we get kohlrabi. My husband and I both love them! I found it’s best to save up 4 or 5 kohlrabi before making them. This recipe does not include the green leaves so feel free to use them on their own in a different recipe.
Recipe is in this link:
https://fiveandspice.wordpress.com/2012/03/16/chili-dusted-kohlrabi-fries/
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