Kohlrabi Bites Recipe

Recipe by Chef Belynda Chambers

Cruciferous vegetables (cabbage family) were so named because their flowers have four petals like a cross. Now the Latin Cruciferae is more often referred to as Brassicaceae (brassica/cabbage) family. Brassicas are the most nutritious vegetables you can eat with vitamin A carotenoids, B vitamins, Vitamin C, Folic acid, Vitamin K (especially found in the dark leafy greens), potassium, copper, magnesium, manganese, protein, carbohydrates, and fiber. The farm has lots of brassica options—mustard, kale, turnips, radishes, kohlrabi, and more.

What's that bright purple beauty that looks like a turnip above ground with stems and leaves growing out of it? It's a Kohlrabi or cabbage-turnip. They're not a root or a tuber but a swollen stem. They taste like broccoli stems but milder. Delicious raw or cooked, they're a great potato replacement or mix them with your tubers (yams, sweet potatoes, etc) for added nutrition. Like turnips, you can enjoy the greens too.

Ingredients

  • 2 medium kohlrabi, peeled and chopped (Save the peel and the greens.)

  • 1 tablespoon butter, ghee, or vegan butter

  • 2 very serious garlic cloves, minced

  • 1/2 teaspoon of curry powder (Optional.)

  • 1/4 teaspoon Sea salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/2 cup of your favorite cheese, vegan cheese, or crunchy topping (Recipe follows.)

  • Brunoise (finely minced) kohlrabi peel for garnish

Crunch Topping

  • 1 tablespoon butter or avocado oil

  • 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

  • 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano (optional)

Melt butter. Add bread crumbs and cook for one minute. Place in a bowl, add Parmigiano-Reggiano and mix well. Set to the side.

Instructions

  • Prepare 8 Asian soup spoons or 4 au gratin dishes, brushed with butter

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.

  • Place the chopped kohlrabi and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt in a saucepan and cover with cold water.

  • Bring to a boil and simmer until the kohlrabi is fork tender, Drain and set aside. In a skillet, melt butter and add garlic, sauté for about a minute. Add the curry powder and heat until just fragrant.

  • Add the kohlrabi and stir until coated with the butter, spices, and garlic. Mash the mixture with a fork and place in baking dishes. Top with cheese or crunchy topping. Bake 10 minutes at 350°F until the topping is slightly browned. Garnish with brunoise of kohlrabi peel. Enjoy!

P.S. Sauté the chopped greens with a bit of ghee, garlic, cumin, smoked sea salt, and enjoy.

Check out Deborah Maddison's book Vegetable Literacy and ChambersLife.com.

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