Summer Squash & Lemon Salad
This Italian cousin of ratatouille works for either yellow or green squash. Feel free to substitute olive oil for some or all of the butter.
3 T. butter
1 T. olive oil
3 summer squash, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tomato, seeded and cut into wedges
Pinch of oregano
¼ cup chopped parsley
1 small lemon cut into paper thin slices
1 T. red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Melt 1 T. of butter inn a skillet over medium heat. Add the summer squash and toss until just wilted, about 3 minutes. Remove to large bowl.
Add 1 T. of butter and add the red pepper, cooking over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes until tender. Add to the bowl.
Add the remaining 1 T. butter , add the onion and cook over medium-low heat for 1 minute. Add the garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Add to the bowl.
Toss the tomato with the oregano in the skillet over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add it and the remaining ingredients to the bowl and toss. Cover and let it get friendly for one hour.
Kohlrabi means “a cabbage turnip” that Alice B. Toklas described as “having the pungency of a high-born radish bred to a low-brow cucumber,” and is said to have been brought to Western Europe from Asia by Attila the Hun. It is high in potassium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous and low in calories. To prep it for recipes, cut off the stems, remove the veins and peel to remove the tough, fibrous parts.
As the “cabbage turnip” name implies, you can shred it for a slaw, chop and add to soup and like the turnip, can stand in for potatoes in a gratin, mash or your usual recipes.
Braised Kohlrabi with Tarragon
Cut the peeled kohlrabi into strips about ¼ inch thick. Coat your pan with oil or butter over medium-high heat and add the kohlrabi, toss, and add ¼ cup of chicken or vegetable stock and a teaspoon of tarragon. Cook, covered for about 15 minutes until just tender. Remove the cover, raise the heat and cook until golden. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with some parsley.
Kohlrabi Gougere
A gougere is kind of a savory puff pastry that can be made with any vegetables, meats and cheese as a light main course. It’s a good way to trick children into eating vegetables. Toss a salad and you have dinner.
7 T. butter
1 – 1 ¼ cups of kohlrabi, diced
1 cup milk
1 c. flour
4 eggs
¾ cups diced Swiss or Jarlsberg cheese
¼ cup chopped ham
1 t. chopped chives or scallion tops
1 T. cold milk
Put the milk in a heavy pan over medium-high and heat until it boils and set aside.
Melt the 3 T. of butter in a skillet over medium-low, toss in the kohlrabi and cover. Cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
Remove any skin from the milk, add the remaining butter and salt and pepper to taste. Heat to boiling and reduce the heat. Add the flour all at once and cook over low heat, beating with a spoon until the mixture forms a ball.
Remove the pan from the heat. Beat in the eggs one at a time. When the mixture is smooth and shiny, stir in about ½ cup of the cheese, the kohlrabi, ham and chive and let cool.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Oil a baking sheet and drop about half of the dough in large spoonfuls into a circle, smoothing them together to make a ring. Drop the other half of the dough in the top of the ring so it looks like a bumpy coffee ring. Brush the ring with the cold milk, sprinkle on the rest of the cheese and bake for 45 – 50 minutes until puffed and golden brown. Cut into wedges to serve.
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