July 14 - Vicki's Vegetable Ventures

That kooky kohlrabi

Having never met a roasted vegetable I didn’t like, I decided to roast together the kohlrabi bulb, broccoli and squash. Roasting the broccoli and kohlrabi bulb was definitely an experiment, and I didn’t know if these three very different veggies would complement each other on the palate. I employed the typical roasting method of cubing the vegetables, giving them a light bath in olive oil, and sprinkling liberally with kosher salt and pepper. Into the oven they went, at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

This dish was ok but not great. In retrospect, I should have sautéed or steamed the delicate broccoli and squash to allow their fresh flavor to emerge. The high temperature and long cooking time was just too much for these young, tender babies.

As for the kohlrabi, I actually liked the greens better than the bulb. Judging from how the leaves felt when raw, I didn’t think they’d ever get soft. But cooking low and slow for a long time, these greens added a slight bitter taste and paired well with the kale and chard.

Experiment!

In fact, I’m on a veritable "mess o’ greens" kick. This week our distribution included even more greens, and yesterday I cooked them all together. Confidence intact, I didn’t feel the need to cook them separately as I did last week. I just melted some olive oil and a little bacon grease in a pot, threw in the greens and cooked them slowly, covered, for about 40 minutes. Four different kinds of greens! Kohlrabi greens, beet greens, turnip greens and kale ... delicious and so healthful.

Another experiment involved all the stalks from two weeks of greens, which I used to make a big pot of broth flavored with bay leaves, oregano, salt and pepper. I froze nine bags of two cups each. Typically I find vegetable broth really bland and prefer chicken broth instead. So we’ll see how my greens broth turns out when used to make soup.

Also in the vein of trying new culinary methods, I finally decided to use the oregano I’ve been collecting and drying for a few weeks now. It didn’t smell very pungent so I didn’t have high hopes. But when I crushed it and added it to pizza sauce, the flavor really came alive. It tastes different from dried oregano you buy at the store, with a slight hint of anise.

Veggies on the road

This weekend Ray and I are going out of town again, this time a road trip to Lincoln to visit my son and daughter-in-law. Keith and Amber are foodies, too, and I’m giving Keith a chef’s knife for his birthday. So I’m packing up all my vegetables and herbs in a cooler and will look forward to a fun weekend of cooking. I’m anxious to see what ideas they have.

If they don’t suggest it, I’ll put in a vote for a mixed greens salad with the beets and goat cheese. Also a brunch egg dish using the peppers, squash and carrots. And then I’ll suggest pesto with the ton of basil we got. Hmmm, micro-managing? Maybe I’ll just hand over everything and sit back and let them make all the decisions!