Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
The flavors of fall
Kohlrabi and beets 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 farmers markets 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 the microwave. Some kohlrabi varieties can be as large as a softball — these are best steamed to tenderness. I always peel the globes to
remove any tough, fibrous skin.
Kohlrabi, with its mild, broccoli-stem flavor, 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 nontraditional 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 ovenroasting 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 and spin dry, and they are good to go.
The kohlrabi and sausage skillet supper that follows also can be made with other vegetables. I often sub in diced parsnip and turnip as well as cubes of golden potatoes. The foil-packet roasted beets taste good hot or chilled. I spoon warm leftovers onto toasted naan for a casual meatless main dish.