Excerpt from the Market Newsletter originally published on 20 July, 2011. View the full newsletter for all the photos and links.
In the belly
If you're asking "Kohlrabi? What's kohlrabi?" you're not alone. That's it over in the sidebar, right after the peanuts. Kohlrabi is a member of the cabbage family, is also known as a German turnip ("kohlrabi" is German for "cabbage turnip") and is probably the same thing as Pliny the Elder's "Corinthian turnip." While it is often referred to as a root vegetable, you are in fact eating its swollen stem, which sits just above the soil surface; the leaves are also edible when young.
Kohlrabi is high in fiber and a very good source of various B vitamins, potassium (which helps lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of kidney stones), copper, manganese, and lots of vitamin C. It also supplies magnesium and phosphorus and is very low in calories. Kohlrabi is said to improve energy circulation and stabilize blood sugar imbalances. For some reason, kohlrabi hasn't ever really caught on in American supermarkets, but has been gaining popularity in home gardens and farmers' markets.
In the kitchen
This week I got to thinking about scallions (some people call them green onions, but they're really scallions). I've really only seen them as a garnish or a salad ingredient, so I decided to take a look around for recipes that actually feature scallions. Good ol' Epicurious.com, it hasn't failed me yet!
Grilled Scallions with Lemon
10 oz. large scallions, trimmed, with most of the green part
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 lemon
2 (8-inch) wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
Toss scallions with oil, salt, and pepper. Line up side by side on a work surface and thread first skewer crosswise through all scallions about 2 inches from one end of each. Thread second skewer similarly about 2 inches from the other end, to form a solid rectangle. Grill on a lightly oiled grill rack, uncovered, turning once or twice, until softened and charred in patches, 4 to 5 minutes total. Transfer scallions to a platter and squeeze lemon evenly over them, then remove skewers.
Scallions with Lemon Parsley Butter
10 bunches scallions
1/4 cup softened butter
1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
salt and pepper to taste
Trim roots from scallions, leaving ends intact, and remove any bruised outer leaves. Trim greens, leaving a 9-inch length of white and green parts. Boil scallions in salted water until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir together butter, zest, and parsley; season. Drain scallions and arrange in a shallow serving dish. Gently brush with lemon parsley butter.
Seared Scallions with Poached Eggs
2 bunches scallions
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
2 large eggs
Mince 1 whole scallion and whisk with 2 tablespoons oil and lemon juice. Season. Drizzle remaining scallions with 1 tablespoon oil and toss to coat. Season and cook in a grill pan, turning occasionally, until tender and slightly charred, about 5 minutes. Divide scallions between two plates. Eggs can be poached in the microwave: Pour 1/2 cup water into each of two 8-ounce microwave-safe coffee cups. Crack 1 egg into each cup and make sure it's completely submerged. Cover each with a saucer. Microwave 1 egg on high until white is set but yolk is runny, about 1 minute. With a slotted spoon top each plateful of scallions with an egg and drizzle with scallion sauce.
