The flavors of fall: Beets and kohlrabi come to the table
My anxieties subside when three things align in my world: a full gas tank, cash in my wallet and plenty of food in the refrigerator. Specifically, fresh fruit and vegetables.
Luckily, fall farmersmarkets and produce stands overflow with goodness. Think squash, onions, potatoes, sweet peppers and hot chiles. The variety of tubers and root vegetables can be intimidating, but rest assured most take to simple cooking methods, such as steaming and roasting, beautifully.
I’m particularly fond of the mild-mannered, pale green globes of kohlrabi. Especially when they sport bright- green, leaf-topped stems. Not only does that mean they are very fresh, but also those leaves are edible. I treat the greens like lacinato kale — steaming or sauteing them.
Kohlrabi is technically not a root vegetable or a tuber; rather it is an enlarged, above-ground stem. I prefer to purchase kohlrabi when it’s the size of a baseball because
it can be enjoyed raw in thin slices or fine shreds, or quickly steamed in themicrowave. Some kohlrabi varieties can be as large as a softball— thesearebest steamed to tenderness. I always peel the globes to remove any tough, fibrous skin.
Kohlrabi, with its mild, broccoli- stem f lavor, absorbs other ingredients, such as herbs, garlic, soy sauce, olive oil or butter, beautifully.
Beets, on the other hand, sport loads of their own unique, earthy flavor. Cooks and chefs have embraced the once-maligned burgundy- red root and now feature them prominently on menus and in cookbooks. Farmers markets prove a good source for non-traditional types, such as candy stripe, golden and white beets. I like how well all of them pair with flavored oils and smoky bacon fat. Sharp additions,
such as tangy cheese, vinegar, onions and garlic help mellow their inherent beetiness. So does oven-roasting or grill- steaming them in foil packets.
Like kohlrabi, the freshest beets are sold with their green leafy tops intact. Do not discard the greens — instead saute them in a skillet with a little olive oil and enjoy as a side or addition to scrambled eggs or grain bowls.
To motivate me to cook the greens before they wilt terribly, I remove them as soon as I get the beets home. Rinse, spin dry and they are good to go.
The kohlrabi and sausage skillet supper that follows can be made with other vegetables as well. I often sub in diced parsnip and turnip as well as cubes of golden potatoes. The foilpacket roasted beets taste good hot or chilled. I spoon warmleftovers onto toasted naan for a casual meatless main dish.
Kohlrabi and carrot ribbon salad
Makes: 4to 6side servings 3medium-size kohlrabi, about 11⁄2 pounds, trimmed, peeled
2medium-size carrots, trimmed, peeled
21⁄2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
2tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
11⁄2 to 2tablespoons honey or sugar, to taste
1⁄2 to 1tablespoon piri piri hot sauce (or other hot sauce), optional, to taste
1⁄2 teaspoon dark Asian sesame oil
Salt
Chopped fresh green onions or chives
Sesame seeds
Cut peeled kohlrabi in half through the stem end. Put the cut side down on the cutting board and slice thinly into half-moons. You should have about 4cups. Use a vegetable peeler to shave carrots into long ribbons; you should have about 2cups loosely packed.
Put sliced kohlrabi into a microwave-safe bowl. Add 1⁄3 cup water and cover with a lid or plastic wrap vented at one corner. Microwave on high (100% power), stirring once or twice, until forktender, 6to 8minutes. (The tip of a fork should pierce it easily.) Let stand, covered, 5 minutes.
Drain well. Return to bowl; stir in carrots. Cover and set aside while you make the dressing.
Whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, honey, hot sauce and oil in a medium-size bowl until homogenous.
Add kohlrabi and carrots. Toss well to coat. Taste and season with salt. Serve warm or at room temperature garnished with plenty of chopped green onions and sesame seeds.
Nutrition information per serving (for 6servings): 69 calories, 1g fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 15 g carbohydrates, 10g sugar, 3g protein, 665mg sodium, 4g fiber.