FOR SALE AT LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS
Just coming in at local markets: pecans, rutabaga
Vegetables and fruits: apples, arugula, Asian greens, beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, chard, collards, endive, escarole, fennel, frisee, garlic, ginger, herbs, Jerusalem artichokes, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, mizuna, mushrooms, mustard greens, Napa cabbage, onions, peanuts, peppers, persimmons, popcorn, potatoes, radicchio, radishes, spaghetti squash, spinach, spring onions, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, turnips, winter squash
From local reports
Susan Shaw says that when she and her husband Garry started growing kohlrabi last fall, they fell in love with it.
“It was our favorite vegetable last fall and winter. (As a farmer) you’re always looking for vegetables that aren’t as well known. I can’t tell you how many kohlrabi I’ve sold to people who have never heard of it.”
She calls the odd-looking vegetable an “alien” and says it certainly draws attention to her market booth. Customers walk up just to ask what it is.
Shaw offers those customers a money-back guarantee: “Take it home and try it. If you don’t like it, I’ll give you your money back.”
She’s never had to make good on that offer and generally finds that those same customers come back for more.
The Shaws own Hickory Hill Farm, a 204-acre property in Oglethorpe County. They grow certified organic fruits and vegetables on 5 acres. The property has been in Susan Shaw’s family since the early 1800s, and she and her husband are the fifth generation to work the land. Their daughter and her husband will soon become the sixth generation to farm there, with plans to expand the farm’s meat production.
They sell their produce at the Athens Farmers Market and Freedom Farmers Market at the Carter Center. Both will have their last markets of the season on Saturday, Dec. 20.
This year, the Shaws put out about 500 kohlrabi plants, purchased from a certified organic grower in Asheville. They grow Kolibri, a purple variety with white flesh, and a variety called Winner, which is pale green with a white flesh. Both are crisp, sweet and juicy when freshly harvested.
Plants that went in the ground in September are being harvested now, while plants put into a cold frame will survive the winter, growing slowly. They’ll put in another crop at the end of January.
Kohlrabi is in the brassica family like broccoli and cabbage. The kohlrabi “bulb” is actually a swollen stem with flesh that’s crisp and sweeter than broccoli. Shaw likens it to cabbage when eaten raw and a very sweet turnip when eaten cooked.
The Shaws harvest their kohlrabi when it’s no bigger than a baseball to avoid the woody texture that comes when kohlrabi grows too large.
At home, they enjoy their kohlrabi roasted with other vegetables such as potatoes, onions and butternut squash. They make fritters with grated kohlrabi, an egg and a little flour or bread crumbs to bind the fritters together. Or they use the grated kohlrabi to make cole slaw. Another favorite preparation is to slice it like a tomato and saute it in olive oil with a little salt, pepper and granulated garlic. “That’s the way I tell people to try it if it’s their first time eating it,” Shaw said.
Kohlrabi-Apple Slaw
Chef Nick Oltarsh of One Midtown Kitchen is always quick with ideas for seasonal produce. When asked to think about recipes that use kohlrabi, he immediately responded with suggestions for Roasted Kohlrabi with Carrots and Turnips, Miso-Glazed Kohlrabi with Winter Greens, Kohlrabi-Potato-Celery Root Mash with Poached Egg, Kohlrabi-Apple-Radish Salad with Blue Cheese and this recipe for Kohlrabi-Apple Slaw.
This is a recipe when the quality of the olive oil matters, so he suggests tasting a few and finding one with a fruity flavor profile. And he notes that you can omit the mayonnaise in the recipe if it’s not your thing.
1 medium kohlrabi, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and cut into matchsticks
1 cup red cabbage, cut into matchsticks
2 radishes, thinly sliced
2 scallions, both white and green parts cut on the bias
2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons mayonnaise (optional)
Salt to taste
In a large bowl, combine kohlrabi, apple, cabbage, radishes, scallions and parsley. Toss together.
In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, olive oil, sugar and mayonnaise if using. Add to kohlrabi mixture and taste for seasoning. Allow to marinate at least 1 hour before serving. Serves: 8
Per serving: 91 calories (percent of calories from fat, 69), trace protein, 7 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 7 grams fat (1 gram saturated), no cholesterol, 4 milligrams sodium.
About the Author
