Sunday, June 6, 2010

Kale-Kohlrabi Salad

Kohlrabi

What is this weird alien plant? Is it the offspring of an octopus and collard greens? Or is it a Pokemon? Turns out this odd vegetable is kohlrabi.

Peeled Kohlrabi

After a bit of a trim, it looks more manageable. I found these little guys at the local farmer's market. After seeing them a few times over the past few years, I decided to give them a try. Luckily, among my myriad of recipes, I had exactly one that called for kohlrabi. It was an unassuming side dish recipe from Gourmet magazine that paired kohlrabi with rough and rugged kale for some interesting vegetable vittles.

First, the kohlrabi is very thinly sliced on a mandolin. Then a marinade is prepared using the zest and juice of two limes, 2 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper. The kohlrabi is tossed in this marinade.

Sauteing Kale

On to the kale: two pounds of kale are chopped and wilted in batches with some olive oil and chopped garlic. The kale is then left to cool with a sprinkling of salt. The kohlrabi and kale are combined with a healthy dose of roasted pistachios for some extra crunch.

Kale-Kohlrabi Salad

This was the first time I've ever prepared and eaten both kale and kohlrabi, so I really had no idea what to expect from this side dish. The kale was a very sturdy green next to the softer rounds of kohlrabi. Both just tasted very fresh, especially with the citrus flavors from the marinade. The salty crunch from the pistachios added extra interest as well. All in all, this dish turned out surprisingly well and it made me feel healthy and satisfied.

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