kohlrabi gratin

This dish is a shout out to all my friends in the Northern Hemisphere who are entering winter and the kohlrabi season.

I should be posting about the homemade lemonade and Creole barbeque chicken I ate for lunch on this warm sunny day, but I felt sorry for my Northern pals and decided sharing some food love would ease the guilt.

This dish is a great indulgent side for dinner parties and the recipe really allows the sweetness of the kohlrabit to shine through.

Kohlrabi Gratin

Recipe from Riverford Organic Vegetables. Serves 4.

Ingredients:
1kg kohlrabi
3 tablespoons fresh parsley
Rind of 1 lemon
50g butter
300ml cream
100g cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 190’C (375’F, gas 5).

2. Peel the kohlrabi, cut in half and slice thinly.

3. Place half in a gratin dish and sprinkle with half the parsley and half the lemon rind. Dot over half of the butter then season with salt and pepper.

4. Layer in the remaining kohlrabi, parsley, lemon rind and butter.

5. Pour over the cream then top with the grated cheese.

6. Bake for 60 minutes or until kohlrabi is tender. Cover with foil if cheese is burning.

The name kohlrabi comes from two German words meaning cabbage and turnip. Bred from a wild cabbage ( just like broccoli, cauliflower, kale, collard greens and brussels sprouts), the kohlrabi was engineered through artificial selection.

The flesh is crisp like an apple, with thin skin and a flavour similar to radish and broccoli stems. Luckily for kohlrabi, the flesh is quite sweet making it a great addition to stews and even good to eat raw.

The fleshy bulb grows above ground and can be stored in the refrigerator, unwashed, in a plastic bag for about a week.

Although it’s edible, I peel the outer skin because I find its texture tough. If steaming or boiling, however, it’s best to peel after cooking.

It’s a great winter vegetable and works perfectly in this unhealthy warm side dish.

This week’s Weekend Herb Blogging host is Heather from Diary of a Fanatic Foodie. Be sure to visit her blog for the recap.

References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kohlrabi
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/how-to-use-kohlrabi.html
http://www.thefoodcoach.com.au/food.asp?Action=View&FoodID=81
Tags: morsels and musings food blog food and drink australia recipes weekend herb blogging whb entrée starter side dish kohlrabi gratin kohlrabi cheese recipes vegetarian recipes side recipes kohlrabi recipes gratin recipes