I do not know if anyone has ever grown Kohlrabi before, but it has to be one of the best kept secrets out there. This winter it has proven itself as the most pleasant surprise in my garden. It has the texture of an apple when eaten raw and a flavor that is so unexpected. I taste a hint of cabbage to it, but the rest I still need to determine. It is juicy, mildly flavored, and oh so very sweet.
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| Purple Vienna Kohlrabi |
My
understanding is that Kohlrabi is a European delicacy prized by chefs for its versatility
in the kitchen. Let alone the fact that
it is low in calories, high in fiber, and a good source of several vitamins and
minerals. It is also a member of the
brassica family for those who enjoy eating foods with anti-cancer properties. While I enjoyed the first of my bulbs raw,
grated on some Lolla Bionda greens (specialty Italian Loose-leaf), there are a
host of recipes easily found for boiling, braising, roasting, sautéing,
steaming, stir-frying, stuffing, and even throwing it on the grill. Simply impressive! My next bulbs will be sautéed with carrots in a little
olive oil and garlic butter, and then tossed with fresh parsley for a side dish. I cannot wait to try this, yummy!
The
link below is to Renee’s Garden, which always has a wealth of good information. Renee grew up in the same part of Ohio where
I was raised and she has been such an inspiration with her journey to obtain
some of the best seeds out there. She
has a wonderful article written on Kohlrabi and a few recipes posted as well.
http://www.reneesgarden.com/articles/kohlrabi.html - link to Renee's article on Kohlrabi
For
any of those wishing to try Kohlrabi as something unique and versatile now would be the
time to sow seeds indoors for transplanting into the garden the first part of March. Purple Vienna has won a place in my garden
for years to come and I cannot wait to try some of the other cultivars.
Hope
you enjoy as well,
Denise,
Beds 25 & 29
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