the past few weeks on the farm we've....

been doing a bit of everything. With the help of Tim, a talented potter working part time here on the farm and our new farm help Lou, we've been weeding, planting and harvesting and attending the farmer's markets. This year we're continuing to sell our produce at the South of the James Farmer's Market, which I'm so happy to say is a producer only market this year (woo hoo!!!) and at the Byrd House Farmer's market, which is not producer only (boo hoo). We've also started vending at a new producer only farmers market in Goochland called My Manakin Market It's set in a lovely grove of trees right off of Broad street between the shrinking edge of the country and the growing edge of the burbs. We'll be there every other Saturday this season.
Along with the old regulars like lettuce, kale, collards and the like, we're growing a new (to us) vegetable to add to our seasonal repertoire - the tasty kohlrabi. You've probably noticed it at our stand and you may be one of the many people who ask "what kind of vegetable is that?" I must admit, neither Adam nor I know much about kohlrabi. It's our first year growing it and it's not something I would pick up at the grocery store if I saw it. Not because it has the love it or hate it status of a vegetable, oh, like eggplant or the herb cilantro, it's just never been introduced to our kitchen. I didn't realize until selling it that so many other folks had also neglected the introduction of this unusual plant into their lives so I decided to do a little sleuthing on the subject in order to answer your questions and here is what I have learned about this visually eccentric vegetable. The word Kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea variety caulo-rapa) is a German word unchanged and accepted into our food language, Kohl meaning cabbage and Rabi meaning turnip. A description of the vegetable dates back as early as the 16th century in Northern Europe but doesn't make it's debut in the United States until the early 1800's. It most likely, along with cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower and brussel sprouts, is the cultivated ancestor of a wild cabbage.



It has a deliciously mellow flavor cooked or raw like that of a mild turnip rather than that of a cabbage. The Richmond Food Collective has a great recipe for kohlrabi chips and I've also found an interesting recipe in a Bon Appetit magazine (yes, I do reference their recipes often, they are generally no fail and flavorful!)

Curried Red Lentil, Kohlrabi, and couscous salad
for those of you who are gluten free as I am quinoa would be and excellent substitute for couscous

•1/2 cup white wine vinegar
•1 1/2 tablespoons sweet curry powder
•2 garlic cloves, pressed
•2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
•1 16-ounce package red lentils (about 2 1/4 cups)
•3 large kohlrabi (about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds); leaves stemmed, thinly sliced; bulb peeled, cut into 1/3-inch dice (about 3 cups)
•1 cup plain couscous (about 6 ounces)
•1 cup chopped green onions
•1 5- to 6-ounce package baby spinach
•1/2 cup chopped fresh mint

•Whisk white wine vinegar, curry powder, and pressed garlic in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.
•Cook lentils and kohlrabi leaves in heavy large saucepan of boiling salted water until lentils are barely tender but not too soft, about 6 minutes. Drain; rinse under cold water to cool. Drain again.
•Bring 1 1/4 cups water to boil in same saucepan; remove from heat. Add 3 tablespoons dressing, sprinkle with salt, then stir in couscous. Cover pot and let stand 5 minutes. Transfer couscous to medium bowl. Fluff couscous with fork to separate grains and cool slightly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
•Meanwhile, transfer lentils to large bowl. Add 1/2 cup dressing, diced kohlrabi bulb, and chopped green onions; toss to coat. Season mixture to taste with salt and pepper.
•Arrange baby spinach leaves over large rimmed platter. Drizzle spinach with 2 to 3 tablespoons remaining dressing. Sprinkle spinach leaves with salt and pepper. Mound lentil mixture in center of platter over spinach leaves. Stir mint into couscous. Spoon couscous around lentils and serve with remaining dressing.