It’s farm share day!  As mentioned before, every Tuesday we get a new delicious delivery of delectable delights (alliteration is fun!) and produce from Needle-Lane farms, delivered to one of my newest favorite specialty stores, Morgan and York.

This week’s box contains:

• Kale (love it)
• Lettuce (good)
• Swiss chard (like it, but we’ve had some every week now and I think we’ll donate this bunch to a friend)
• snow peas (!!)
• broccoli (first of the year, yay!  I will probably be using this tonight, sautéed in peanut oil with the snow peas and served along side some slow-cooked barbecue)
• kohrabi (which is new to me–I’ve seen it before but never tried…and I didn’t get to eat last week’s bulb…oops!)
• Italian parsley (also going to a friend, as I’ve got a giant parsley plant currently threatening to take over my deck)

Here’s some of the information from the share newsletter about kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes):

• Kohlrabi shares its name with its close relative, broccoli.  “kohl” means cabbage and “rabi” means turnip describes this delicate but unusual vegetable.
• Kohlrabi offers generous amounts of vitamins A and C and emphasizes minerals such as potassium and calcium.
• Cooking Tips
  *After washing, trim woody or tough portions of skin.  It does not have to be peeled after cooking.
  * Kohlrabi is excellent cooked or raw.
  *  Grate it into salads or make a coleslaw w/ grated kohlrabi, radish, parsley, green onion and dressing of choice.
  *  Try it raw alone or in a dip or eat it raw like an apple.
  *  Saute grated kohlrabi in butter, add herbs or curry to enhance flavor
  *  Add to soups, stews or veggie stir fry.
  *  Chill and marinate  for a summer salad- add fresh herbs.
  *  Kohlrabi are great stuffed.  Scoop out center, stuff with favorite mixture and simmer for 20 mins.
• Storage tips
  *Store kohlrabi globe and leaves separate.  Globe will last one month in fridge in plastic bag.  Wrap leaves in damp towel or place in plastic bag and keep in hydrator drawer.  Use greens as soon as possible.

Recipes!

Sauteed Kohlrabi  (Oak Ridge Farm)

2 Kohlrabi (3 if small)
4 T butter or light oil
1 medium onion
1 T fresh herbs (thyme, chives, sage, etc)
1 tsp salt
Grate kohlrabi, place in colander and sprinkle with salt.  Let stand 30 mins to drain.  Heat butter over medium heat, add onions and saute a few mins.  Stir in kohlrabi, reduce heat to low, cover and cook 10 mins.  Remove from heat and stir in fresh herbs.

The Other Slaw

1/4  cup  lime juice
2  tablespoons  salad oil
3  tablespoons  chopped red onion
3  tablespoons  chopped fresh cilantro
1/2  teaspoon  sugar
1  clove garlic, pressed or minced
1  to 2 teaspoons minced fresh jalapeño chili
1 1/2  cups  shredded peeled kohlrabi or broccoli stems
1 1/2  cups  shredded peeled carrots
1 1/2  cups  shredded zucchini
Salt and pepper