Kohlrabi: The Ugly Cute Vegetable

Kohlrabi is one of those vegetables that I had never heard of (and most likely would still have never tried) until we started getting our weekly CSA box a couple of years ago. If kohlrabi were anything else, it would be one of those, "ugly in a cute kind of way" dogs.  I've seen it described as looking like a spaceship or "sputnik" or a hot air balloon.  It's such an interesting and healthy veggie, and I'm glad I've gotten acquainted with it.

A member of the cabbage family, kohlrabi has a mild broccoli- or radish-like flavor. We've eaten it raw, sliced up in a slaw with onions and cabbage and apple. We've had it cooked in kohlrabi cakes. These were quite good, and if I make them again soon I'll share the experience here.

This week we got one small red kohlrabi in our box. Very manageable for a salad. The small ones are great for eating raw. I looked up some recipes for inspiration. At least two of the recipes I found said to "slice thinly with adjustable blade slicer"-- making the assumption that I have one. (Hmmm, maybe it's time to get one of those Mandolin thingies.) My knife skills are not the best, but I peeled and sliced the kohlrabi as thinly as possibly.

Then I mixed up a little olive oil and lemon juice, salt and pepper and capers. That jar of capers has been sitting in my pantry waiting for its debut. I thinly sliced some red onion, and mixed everything together in a bowl. This little salad was tasty served over lettuce greens, which we have in abundance. I'm not sure if I should continue the dog analogy here, but I can't resist: the salad was way more French Poodle than Pug.

Here's our little fellow:

What do you think it looks like?