More Veggie Transitions

We are starting to see the transition from spring to summer with the changing of the crops. Here are a few tips on new and recent additions to the pick up room.

Kohlrabi - a member of the cabbage (crucifer or mustard) family. The part we eat is the enlarged stem from which the leaves develop. Kohlrabi may be white, green or purple in color. The taste and texture of kohlrabi are similar to those of a broccoli stem or cabbage heart, but milder and sweeter, with a higher ratio of flesh to skin. Kohlrabi is a great source of vitamin C and potassium. They store for a long time in the crisper drawer of the fridge. I like to eat them raw - sliced thin and added to salads, they are nice and crunchy, or as a healthy snack alone or with your favorite dip. I also like it sliced julienne and added to cole slaw. It is delicious sauteed along with greens as in the Sauteed Kohlrabi and Greens recipe on this site.

Garlic scapes - flower stalks found on all members of the Allium family (onions, leeks, chives, and garlic). If the scape is left on the plant it will harden and transform from green to the familiar opaque white/beige color of garlic peel. Keeping the shoot attached will curtail growth of the bulb. So, in an effort to allow the garlic to keep growing, the farmer picks the scape off the plant and we benefit with a wonderful mild tasting garlic. When cooking with it, add it at the end of the recipe so you don't use the taste. It is great raw, as in Garlic Scape Pesto and Garlic Scape and White Bean Dip.

Endive/Escarole - Endive has two forms, narrow-leaved endive called curly endive and the broad-leaved endive which is often called escarole. The outside leaves of an endive head are green and somewhat bitter. The inner leaves of the endive head are light green to creamy-white and milder flavored. Endive is rich in many vitamins and minerals, especially in folate and vitamin A and K, and is high in fiber. Endive is one of those wonderful greens that can be enjoyed raw or cooked. I like to add a few leaves to my mixed green salads to add textural and taste variety. It is also delicious chopped up and sauteed with garlic, white beans and chili flakes or a hot pepper. As with other greens, don't let it sit in water or it will quickly rot.

Radicchio - is part of the chicory family. "Chioggia," the most common variety of this intensely flavored vegetable, grows in heads of wine-red leaves with bright white veins. Treviso is a type of radicchio that grows in elongated, rather than round, heads. Like all chicories, radicchio has a structural sturdiness and a distinct bitterness that balances the sweeter, more delicate lettuces with which it is often combined. Radicchio mellows considerably when roasted, grilled or sautéed in olive oil and tossed with pasta. It is also great with cheese, salami, nuts and dried fruit and citrus. I am looking forward to trying it in this salad Chopped Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette, Feta and Dill. Change it up with whatever veggies you have from the farm.