Featured Vegetable of the Week: Kohlrabi

by Andrea Yoder

The name for kohlrabi is derived from “khol” meaning stem or cabbage and “rabi” meaning turnip. While it is in the cabbage family and resembles a turnip, it grows differently than both. Many people mistake kohlrabi for being a root vegetable that grows under the ground, but it is actually an enlarged stem that grows above the soil level.  The stems and leaves shoot up from the bulbous part to give it, as many describe, an alien like appearance.  

 
We grow both green and purple kohlrabi, which are no different from each other once they are peeled. The bulb and the leaves are both edible. The fibrous peel should be removed from the bulb prior to eating. You can do this easily by cutting the kohlrabi into quarters and then peeling away the outer skin with a paring knife. The flesh is crisp yet tender and sweet with a hint of a mild cabbage flavor. It can be prepared in many different ways, both raw and cooked. The simplest way to eat it is to peel it and munch on slices plain or with just a touch of salt. It can also be shredded and used in slaws with a variety of dressings or sliced and added to sandwiches or salads. Despite many years of growing and eating kohlrabi, Farmer Richard’s eyes still twinkle every year when he says… “Can we have creamy kohlrabi slaw?” It’s by far his favorite way to enjoy kohlrabi. The leaves are edible as well, so don’t just discard them. Cook them in any way you would cook kale or collard greens.  

 
I always think of kohlrabi as an old-world European vegetable, which it is, but don’t forget that kohlrabi is also eaten in other parts of the world such as China and India. You can find some interesting ways to prepare kohlrabi in stir-fries and curries if you look to these parts of the world for recipe ideas.

 
To store kohlrabi, cut the stems and leaves off. Store both leaves and the bulbs in perforated plastic in the refrigerator. The leaves will keep for about 1 week, and the bulbs will last up to several weeks if stored properly.

Swiss Chard and Lentil Soup with Herbed Kohlrabi Yogurt

Yield:  6-8 servings

2 cups black beluga lentils (or green French lentils), picked over and rinsed

1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

3-5 scallions, lower portion minced and green tops sliced thinly (for garnish)

1 tsp salt, plus more to taste

1 tsp ground cumin

1—28 oz can crushed tomatoes

3 cups Swiss chard, leaves & stems sliced thinly

Herbed Kohlrabi Yogurt,  see recipe below

1. Bring 5 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan.  Add the lentils and cook for about 20 minutes, or until tender.  Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy soup pot over medium heat.  When the oil is hot, add the minced scallion, 1 tsp salt and ground cumin.  Sauté a few minutes or until the onion is tender and fragrant.  Stir in the tomatoes and simmer for about 8-10 minutes or until the tomato mixture has thickened a bit.  Add the swiss chard to the pan, cover and continue to cook for 3-5 minutes or until the chard is just barely wilted. 
3. Add the lentils to the tomato mixture and stir to combine.  Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for just a few minutes longer.  Adjust the consistency of the soup to your liking by adding additional water to make it more thin or simmering a bit longer to thicken the soup. Remove from the heat and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve garnished with the thinly sliced green onion tops and a dollop of the Herbed Kohlrabi Yogurt.

Variations:

• Serve it with a poached egg on top
• Serve it over steamed rice or millet
• Finish the soup with a few pinches of smoked paprika or red pepper flakes to add a little flare

NOTE:  This recipe is based on Heidi Swanson’s “Lively Up Yourself Lentil Soup Recipe” featured on her blog, 101 Cookbooks.  She encourages her readers to put their own twist on the soup with a variety of suggestions for how to adapt the recipe to your liking.  This is my version of her lentil soup recipe.—Chef Andrea Yoder 

Herbed Kohlrabi Yogurt 

Yield:  1 cup

1 cup Greek yogurt

½ cup finely grated kohlrabi

1 Tbsp lemon juice 

Lemon zest from the rind of one lemon

1 garlic scape, minced

1 Tbsp fresh herbs, minced (parsley, savory, thyme, mint, etc)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine yogurt, kohlrabi, lemon juice and zest, garlic scapes and fresh herbs of your choosing. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
2. Refrigerate the yogurt for at least 30 minutes or overnight for the best flavor.

Serving suggestions:  Use this herbed kohlrabi yogurt as a topping for falafel, lentil dishes, or alongside scrambled eggs, sautéed greens or steamed rice.  

Vegetable Feature: Sorrel

Sorrel is a perennial plant we look forward to every spring and is among the first greens of the season.  It is actually in the same family of vegetables as rhubarb!  Sorrel leaves have a pointy, arrow shape and are thick in texture and bright green in color.  You’ll recognize sorrel by its tart and citrus-like flavor.  It has a bright flavor that will call your taste buds to attention.
Sorrel can be eaten both raw and cooked.  Raw sorrel can brighten any salad and is excellent when blended into cold sauces, vinaigrettes, dressings or dips.  Because of its bold flavor, it is often treated more like an herb when used raw.  When cooked, sorrel behaves in a very interesting way.  First, its color changes from bright green to a drab olive green almost immediately.  Don’t worry, this happens to everyone and it’s just the way it is with sorrel!  The other interesting thing about sorrel is how it “melts” when added to hot liquids.  The leaves will almost immediately change color and then start to soften.  The longer it’s cooked, the more the leaves break apart and you can stir it into a coarse sauce. This is one of the reasons it’s often used in soups and sauces.
The acidity of sorrel makes it a natural companion to more rich foods such as cream, butter, sour cream, yogurt, duck, and fatty fish (salmon & mackerel).  Additionally, it pairs well with more “earthy” foods such as lentils, rice, buckwheat, mushrooms and potatoes.
If you are interested in preserving sorrel to use during the winter, here’s an interesting idea from Deborah Madison’s book, Vegetable Literacy.  She recommends making a sorrel puree to freeze.
“Drop stemmed leaves into a skillet with a little butter and cook until the leaves dissolve into a rough puree, which takes only a few minutes.  Cool, then freeze flat in a ziplock bag….Just a dab will add spirit to the quiet flavors of winter foods:  break off chunks to stir into lentil soups, mushroom sauces or ragouts, or an omelet filling.”

Spiced Lentils with Nettles & Sorrel Yogurt Sauce

Serves 2-3 as a main dish or 3-4 as a side dish
Spiced Lentils
1 Tbsp olive oil
¼ cup ramp bulbs or green onion bulbs, sliced thinly
1 ½ tsp ground coriander
1 ½ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried thyme
½ tsp ground cinnamon
⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
Pinch of ground cloves
¾ tsp salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup beluga lentils
2 ½ cups water
1 cup blanched, roughly chopped nettle leaves
2 Tbsp lemon juice
½ cup thinly sliced chives or green onion tops

Sorrel Yogurt Sauce
½ cup Greek yogurt
1 ½ Tbsp olive oil
¾ cup sorrel leaves, sliced into ribbons
Zest of one lemon
½ tsp salt, plus more to taste

Combine all ingredients in a food processor.  Blend until the sorrel leaves are well-incorporated.
Let the mixture set for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.  Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with additional salt as needed.

Store any extra sauce in the refrigerator.

1. Heat olive oil in a 10-12 inch sauté pan over medium heat.  Add the sliced ramp or green onion bulbs and sauté until softened, about 1-2 minutes. Add the coriander, cumin, thyme, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt and black pepper.  Stir to combine the spices with the oil and onions.  Continue to stir and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. 
2. Add the lentils and water and stir to combine.  Bring the lentils to a boil, then reduce the heat slightly to maintain a gentle simmer.  Partially cover the pan and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the lentils are just tender.  
3. Remove the lid from the pan and stir in the nettles and lemon juice.  Continue to cook for another 5-6 minutes.  If there is still a lot of liquid in the pan, cook uncovered.  If there is a small amount of liquid remaining, put the lid back on the pan to finish cooking.  You want a small amount of liquid remaining when the dish is done, but it should not be soupy.
4. Turn off the heat and season with additional salt and black pepper if needed.  Stir in the chives or green onion tops.  Serve warm or at room temperature with 1-2 Tbsp of Sorrel Yogurt Sauce.

Sorrel Hummus

Yield:  1 ½ cups

2 garlic cloves

1 ½ oz sorrel leaves, roughly chopped (approximately 1 cup)

1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas (one-15 oz can)

¼ cup tahini

Grated zest of 1 organic lemon

1 ½ Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ tsp sea salt, plus more if desired

1 ½ tsp raw honey or pure maple syrup

¼ cup water

Cold-pressed olive oil, for serving*

1. Put the garlic in a food processor and pulse to mince.  Add the sorrel, chickpeas, tahini, lemon zest and juice, salt, honey, and ¼ cup water, and blend on the highest setting until smooth.  Season with more salt if needed.  
2. Transfer the hummus to a serving bowl, drizzle olive oil over the top, and serve.  Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

*Note:  If you are using the hummus as a spread, add 1 ½ tsp olive oil to the food processor and blend it into the hummus.

Serving Suggestions:  This sorrel hummus is delicious served with pita bread, corn chips or fresh vegetables as an appetizer or snack.  You can also use it as a spread for sandwiches, flat bread or wraps.  When we tested this recipe, we chose to spread the sorrel hummus on a tortilla and stuffed it with fresh spinach and diced raw asparagus tossed with a little drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper.  The hummus is bright and lemony and in Farmer Richard’s words.... “also rich & creamy.  I like the contrast of the crispy asparagus with the creamy hummus.” This spread goes well with any spring vegetable including radishes, green onions, blanched nettles, baby white turnips and more!

Recipe Source: This recipe was borrowed from Sarah Britton’s beautiful new cookbook, My New Roots.  This book was just released this spring and it’s packed full of nourishing plant-based recipes organized by the season.  Sarah also has a blog by the same name, My New Roots (www.mynewroots.org).  Her recipes are vegetarian and often vegan friendly, although they are also adaptable to include in meals for meat-eaters as well.  Another bonus of both her book and her blog…..the gorgeous pictures!