Valley Bounty: Kohlrabi

No, you didn’t get one of the pods from Invasion of the Body Snatchers in your farm share this week. What you’ve got there is kohlrabi, a weird looking relative of cabbage and broccoli (the name comes from the German “Kohl”, for “cabbage”, and “Rube”, for “turnip”). It’s become increasingly popular in farm shares and in farmers’ markets in recent years, probably due at least in part to its hardiness and its versatility.

The texture of raw kohlrabi is frequently compared to that of raw broccoli stems, though with a sweeter and slightly peppery flavor. Raw kohlrabi can be shredded and added to salads or mixed with cabbage as the base of a slaw. If yours happens to come with the leaves attached, you can eat those as well! Sauté them and use them in place of collard greens or kale to serve with eggs, as a side to red meat or fish, or in a stir fry.

Cooked kohlrabi can be prepared in most of the same ways as turnips or potatoes. Try cutting them into wedges and roasting with olive oil, salt, garlic, and a bit of chili powder for a twist on oven fries.

Valley Bounty is written by Brian Snell of CISA (Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture)