Initially, kohlrabi was one of the vegetables that my husband and I grew in our garden many years ago out of curiosity. We had little knowledge of it except that it had an interesting shape, was related to the cabbage family, and grew best in the spring and fall (like cabbage). However, it did not take long for us to realize that this versatile vegetable was relatively easy to grow and very tasty. In fact, we likened the taste to a close cousin of the turnip…one of my mom’s favorites.
Although we raised green kohlrabi, it comes in white and purple varieties as well.
Its color only runs skin deep, however. On the inside all of the kohlrabi are white. And, unless you like its very thick skin, you’ll want to peel the kohlrabi before using it.
You can use the leafy tops of the kohlrabi like you would beet tops or other greens. Better yet, you can combine them with other seasonal greens like dandelion or Swiss chard for an even better dish than just the kohlrabi tops alone.
Although there are many ways to prepare the kohlrabi stem (it is indeed an enlarged stem), I think my favorite is to eat it raw. While I’m content to eat it plain as well; it makes a very tasty slaw.
Kohlrabi, carrots, green apple, and tarragon make a very easy, simple slaw when coated in a simple vinegar mixture. While you can make perfectly uniform julienned sticks of the veggies and fruit, my family is quite happy eating the more “rustic,” imperfect slaw that I usually fix.
