Veggie ID: Kohlrabi and Scapes
Two early season veggies that often have our CSA Farm Share members scratching their heads — kohlrabi (the purple spaceship) and garlic scapes (the little green pigtails). They are some of the most versatile veggies we hand out, so long as you know how to search for them on the internet.
Kohlrabi:
A white kohlrabi in the fields of River Road Neighborhood Farm.
Can be purple or greenish-white. Always creamy white on the inside.
Has edible leaves that you should snip off before storing in the fridge (the leaves will wilt if still attached to the bulb).
Has a texture like a radish (crisp and clean) but the flavor of a broccoli stem.
You can roast, saute, grill. . . You can add it to soups, puree it into a dip, use it to scoop up dip, put it in a salad, eat it raw.
Recipes for Kohlrabi:
My favorite slaw (uses lots of in season veggies)
Mashed Cauliflower and Kohlrabi (could add scapes to this!)
Kohlrabi Fritters (I haven’t tried this, but would love to hear how it goes! I’m guessing you could put a variety of dressings on these for a delicious result. Let what’s available in your pantry/fridge be your guide!)
Garlic Scapes
Green curly cues with a long narrow whitish tip
The seed head of hard necked garlic that needs to be removed in order for the garlic to put needed energy in the bulb that we will eat later in the season
They have the consistency of a green bean, and a mild garlic flavor. They are an aromatic and a vegetable all in one!
Great for grilling, sauteing, pesto. . . Pretty universally useful.
Recipes:
Farmer Michelle’s Garlic Scape Pesto
Melissa Clark’s White Bean and Scape Dip
Enjoy those scapes, they don’t last long! And let us know what you do with them in the comments below or on our Facebook Posse or YouTube channel.