Kohlrabi once was a vegetable I stared at blankly. Now I seek it out. Last Sunday, I spotted a basket of the alien bulbs at the Barber’s Farm table at the Schenectady Greenmarket, and I bought half a dozen to bring with me to CT so I could make this salad. Yesterday I did the same. Unless you subscribe to a CSA or grow kohlrabi yourself, you may not know kohlrabi very well, if at all—I’ve never seen it in a grocery store. It’s very mild in taste, almost like a cross between a turnip and an apple, but it doesn’t have the bite of a turnip—it’s sweeter and less assertive. (FYI: Kohlrabi is a variety of cabbage in the Brassica family—same family as turnips but different species.) When shaved thinly and tossed with salt and vinegar, kohlrabi softens, becoming pliable in just about 10 minutes. And when it’s then tossed with olive oil, Parmigiano Reggiano, and fresh herbs, it is incredibly refreshing and delicious. I haven’t attempted any other dressing, because I find this one to be so nice and simple this time of year, but I imagine it would take to any number of dressings given its neutral flavor. Barber’s Farm says they’ll likely carry kohlrabi through the fall, so if you live locally, you’ve got a source—woohoo! PS: Pickled Kohlrabi PPS: Chatting CSA Strategy with Margaret Roach Here’s a play-by-play: gather your kohlrabi. Remove the skin with a knife first, then a peeler. Shave it thinly with a mandoline or a knife—you absolutely can use a knife if you don’t have a mandoline. Kohlrabi isn’t as tough as it looks. Dressing ingredients: Olive Oil, Vinegar, Sea Salt. Nice additions: basil and Parmigiano Reggiano: Season the kohlrabi with salt and vinegar; then let it sit for 10-15 minutes: Add olive oil and herbs and toss: Add parmesan and toss again: Transfer to a platter and serve: 5 from 2 reviews This is more of a guide than a recipe. The keys are:
Sprinkle salt and vinegar over thinly sliced kohlrabi and let it sit for 10 minutes or until it softens and becomes pliable. Then add olive oil, herbs, shaved parmesan and toss. Use equal parts oil and vinegar or more vinegar—kohlrabi can take it. I actually use a 2:1 ratio of vinegar to oil. Colavita white balsamic is my preference. Sizes of kohlrabi bulbs vary, but you can estimate about 1 bulb per person, so if you want the salad to serve 4 people, use 4 kohlrabi bulbs.
