If you belong to a CSA or have been shopping at the growers’ markets lately, you’ve probably seen a lot of kohlrabi. And you might be thinking to yourself, what on earth is this crazy looking vegetable and what am I supposed to do with it?
Well, as it turns out, you can do quite a lot! Chef Ka’ainoa suggests slicing it and eating it raw, making a puree from it for soup or a cream sauce, braising it, or even brushing strips of it with a little oil and salt and making baked kohlrabi “fries.” “It’s a good-tasting vegetable,” says Ka’ainoa. Chef describes it as a cross between cabbage and broccoli rabe – very mild and sweet, almost like a mild, green fruit. And, because it has such a light flavor, it’s easy to change its flavor profile and incorporate it in a number of dishes. At Farm & Table, Chef Ka’ainoa has served it alongside his fish of the day, braised with fish stock and butter. Last week at the Sol Harvest farm stand, Farmer Ric chopped some up and served it with lime juice and salt.
Kohrabi, which is in the same family as broccoli and cabbage, is actually not a root vegetable. Though the bulb looks like a root, it actually grows above ground, which makes it especially fun to have in your garden – Farmer Ric says he thinks they look like little spaceships growing out of the ground.
Ric loves filling his harvest boxes with Kohlrabi because you can do so much with it – you can even use its leafy tops in a braising mix. Kohlrabi is a great plant for New Mexico because it can withstand crazy springs and scorching hot summers. Because it’s so leafy, Ric says, it sort of shades itself. And kohlrabi is relatively easy to grow, you just need some time and patience – it takes a while for that big bulb to form.
Our favorite use of kohlrabi right now, is in our kohlrabi barbecue sauce that we serve at Farm and Table alongside the ribeye. Chef Ka’ainoa says the flavor of the kohlrabi complements the barbecue’s tanginess, making a perfectly balanced sauce. Give the recipe a try for yourself!
INGREDIENTS
INSTRUCTIONS
Peel and chop kohlrabi, then combine with other ingredients in a sauce pot. Heat everything until the kohlrabi is soft. Blend mixture until kohrabi is fully pureed. Add water as necessary, as the kohrabi tends to thicken the sauce.