Ask anyone, “What’s kohlrabi?” and you’ll be treated to the blank-est of stares. They may have seen it in the produce aisle or in a summer CSA share, but not known the name of this tricky, alien-looking plant. And even if you do know of kohlrabi, do you know how to prepare it? Probably not, but that is about to change.
Last week, I found myself warily fumbling with a large, purple kohlrabi, unsure what to do with the bulbous vegetable that looked both confusing to slice and difficult to peel. So I did some research. Its name is German for “turnip cabbage” because the stocky roots resemble a turnip. Though it comes in either a dark purple or pale green, the flesh is always a pale green, resembling apple flesh. The body of the vegetable can be eaten either raw or cooked; the stems and leaves that sprout from the bulb can be used similarly to any other leafy green. It is high in fiber, Vitamin A, calcium, and potassium. Kohlrabi is in season in the summer and fall, from June through October. It is also available in the winter, though the flavor is weaker when grown in colder months.
After learning that bit of background, I decided it was time to taste some kohlrabi. Yes, for the first time. While considering the folly of planning a blog post before I’ve even tasted a new type of vegetable, I chopped off the leaves* and carefully halved and quartered the kohlrabi on a cutting board. The next step, I read, is to peel off the tough outer layer, so I began to remove it with my hands. My dull vegetable peeler was not feeling up to the job, so it was a little rough on both the kohlrabi and my fingernails. I then sliced the peeled chunks into uniform, 1-inch rectangles, and began preheating the oven to 450 degrees.
While pre-heating the oven, I sampled the kohlrabi raw. It had a different flavor than what I was expecting; the closest comparison may be sweet, raw radish. I didn’t necessarily taste any similarity to cabbage. It would be welcome on salads that needed an extra dimension, or sliced raw to dip in hummus.
The rest of the kohlrabi I mixed with garlic salt and olive oil, coating each piece evenly. They went on a roasting pan coated with aluminum foil, and into the oven for approximately 20 minutes. I was surprised to see the vegetable turn out starchy and even sweeter than the raw chunks I devoured prior to cooking.
The whole roasted kohlrabi was a great side, portioned for two. It would do well as a potato substitute, and I would love to try cooking it in a chicken pot pie. Now that I have some ideas, I cannot wait to get another in my next CSA share. If you have any favorite kohlrabi recipes, let me know in the comments below!
*You’d better believe I didn’t waste those greens. They were blanched and went into a grain salad the next day, tasting a lot like mustard greens