Just what you are clamoring for, another kohlrabi salad. What, you say you have never had a kohlrabi salad, or maybe you have never tried kohlrabi at all. The funny looking vegetable with the equally unusual name is a member of the cabbage family. Kohlrabi gets it’s name from a German word, kohl-cabbage (think cole slaw) and rabe -turnip. It has a milder flavor than either of those vegetables, the best description I read was that it tastes like broccoli stems. Kohlrabi is not a root vegetable since the bulbous part grows above the ground and is studded and topped with leaves that resemble those on a broccoli plant. Kohlrabi has been a part of our spring garden for the past few years. I enjoy it most harvested at 2-3 inches in diameter and served raw.
I was pleased to see the Best New Chefs issue of Food and Wine magazine of July 2011 included a kohlrabi salad from former Top Chef contestant, Stephanie Izard. She was the winner of season four and currently is executive chef of The Girl and the Goat in Chicago. The goat part of the restaurant name comes from her last name, Izard, a type of goat antelope native to the Pyrenees mountains. I probably would have never made this recipe if it wasn’t for the fact that I was bored with making every variation of kohlrabi and apple slaw. A good combination, but it was time for something new. The balance of sweet and savory flavors in this recipe is spot-on. The crispness of the kohlrabi and fennel contrasts with the sweet blueberries and the warm nuttiness of the almonds and the goat cheese. Since I am already a fan of Cypress Grove’s Humboldt Fog, I chose their Midnight Moon as the cheese to top my salad with but I’m certain that crumbles of a soft goat cheese would work as well. I did not peel my kohlrabi as indicated in the original recipe since it was fresh from the garden and it was sliced very thinly.
Kohlrabi, Fennel and Blueberry Salad
adapted from Stephanie Izard, Food and Wine Magazine
Ingredients
- 1/2c slivered almonds
- 1T minced peeled fresh ginger
- 2T minced shallot
- 1T white balsamic vinegar
- 1T mayonnaise
- 1 1/2t Dijon mustard
- 1t soy sauce
- 1t pure maple syrup
- 1/4 canola or other flavorless oil
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 1/4lb kohlrabi, trimmed and very thinly sliced on a mandoline
- 1 fennel bulb, trimmed and very thinly sliced on a mandoline
- 1/2c semifirm goat cheese (I like Cypress Grove’s Midnight Moon,) shaved
- 1c blueberries or pitted, halved sweet cherries
- 1T torn mint leaves
Directions
- In a non-stick skillet, toast the almonds over medium heat until golden in color, about 4-5 minutes.
- In a blender combine ginger, shallot, vinegar, mayonnaise, mustard, soy sauce, and maple syrup and puree. With the blender running, add the oil in a thin stream and blend until creamy. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- In a large bowl, toss the kohlrabi with the fennel, cheese, toasted almonds with the dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Add the blueberries and mint and toss gently. Serve immediately.
