What to Do With Your Share---Week 4

Physical exhaustion is the name of the game this time of year, so we are glad that most of the vegetables we grow are edible raw. A simple stringing and a snap pea is an appetizer, a Hakurei turnip is ready to go right out of the bag, and quick washing, tearing and spinning makes a lettuce salad.

Believe it or not, one of the tastiest of raw vegetables is the kohlrabi. We pulled some of this week’s share last week, as they were at prime picking stage, and we didn’t want the hot weather to toughen them up. Some may have a little bit of fiber in the very center, but the ones that we have been noshing on have been crispy and juicy.

One thing that can perplex folks is how to peel a kohlrabi. Well, former FSF apprentice and local urban farmer Julie Coon can show you the proper way. In a new video series she is working on, she and cooking partner Danika Hanson prepare a scrumptious mix of lentils, couscous, Hakurei turnips, kohlrabi and curry.

Go to about the 5:00 mark to see the simplest way to peel a kohlrabi. You cut off the top and bottom, and then set it on the counter and cut down the sides, like you are taking corn off a cob.

So now, what else to do with that wonderful kohlrabi? The simplest thing is to cut it into slices or chunks and smother it with your favorite dressing. A more “complex” approach is to make a refined and tasty salad.

Depending on your tastes, you can make whatever you want. If you like Asian cooking use a dressing like the one in last week’s stir fry salad. If you are a hard core Midwesterner, use ranch dressing. Another style is to copy a jicama salad recipe and substitute the kohlrabi for the jicama. That is what we did last year, so check out that blog or simply search for jicama or kohlrabi salad.

Radish Dip
Last November, member Ann Flynn sent me this recipe for radishes. If you still have some in the fridge (and some dill and green garlic), this is a great way to use them. In Ann’s words “This dip is delish.”

1 cup finely chopped radishes

1 package of cream cheese (8 oz)

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp dill weed

Combine all ingredients. Use as a sandwich spread or on crackers or vegetables.

Finally, a shout out to our good friend Bill McKelvey, who took such beautiful photos and portraits during his visit last weekend. Here is Bill in front of the lens, and someone not pictured in Rebecca's post...Rebecca!