You may have noticed the exotic looking vegetables available now from North Star Orchards, the kohlrabi. They are available in green and purple and are sold with the leaves (which can be cooked as a green) and resemble a somewhat flattened baseball. They are a root vegetable of real versatility, and here are two recipes that use kohlrabi and other fall vegetables and fruits available at the Farmers Market. These recipes come from Epicurious.com and were originally published in Gourmet Magazine.
Roasted Kohlrabi and Butternut Squash
Ingredients
4 medium kohlrabi (2 1/4 lb with greens or 1 3/4 lb without)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 1/2 lb butternut squash
Special equipment: a 17- by 12- by 1-inch shallow heavy baking pan
Preparation
Put oven rack just below middle position and put baking pan on rack, then preheat oven to 450°F. (If roasting vegetables along with turkey, preheat pan for 15 minutes while turkey roasts, then roast vegetables underneath turkey.)
Trim and peel kohlrabi, then cut into 3/4-inch pieces. Toss kohlrabi with 1 tablespoon oil, 1 teaspoon thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper in a bowl. Transfer kohlrabi to preheated pan in oven and roast 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, peel butternut squash, then quarter lengthwise, seed, and cut into 3/4-inch pieces. Toss squash with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, 1 teaspoon thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper in same bowl.
Stir kohlrabi, turning it, then push it to one side of pan.
Add squash to opposite side of pan and roast, stirring and turning squash over halfway through roasting, until vegetables are tender and lightly browned, about 30 minutes total (after squash is added).
Toss vegetables to combine and transfer to a dish.
Cooks’ note: Kohlrabi and butternut squash can be cut 1 day ahead and chilled in separate sealed plastic bags. Epicurious.com © CondéNet, Inc. Gourmet, November 2006.
Kohlrabi and Apple Salad with Creamy Mustard Dressing
Gourmet | October 1992 Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Serves 8.
Ingredients
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon coarse-grained mustard
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 bunches kohlrabi (about 2 pounds), bulbs peeled and cut into julienne strips, stems discarded, and the leaves reserved for another use
1 Granny Smith apple
Preparation
In a bowl whisk the cream until it holds soft peaks and whisk in the lemon juice, the mustard, the parsley, the sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the kohlrabi strips and the apple, peeled, cored, and diced, and combine the salad well.
Epicurious.com © CondéNet, Inc. Gourmet, October 1992. All rights reserved.