Kohlrabi Soup with Ginger & Lime

This is a great spring soup for cooler, rainy days like today.  Most of the ingredients are available at local grocery stores.  Kaffir lime leaves may be harder to find, but they make all the difference for this soup. If they are not available at a local Asian market, they can be purchased online.

Ingredients: 3 Kohlrabi bulbs, peeled and diced 1 Leek, chopped 3 Carrots, sliced into circles 6 Cloves of fresh garlic, minced Canola oil 1 Cup red lentils 8 cups chicken or vegetable broth A 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled & grated 3 Limes, juiced 3 Kaffir lime leaves 1 Can coconut milk (15 oz) 1 Bunch of curly kale, stems removed and leaves chopped 1 red chili pepper, (optional) Sea salt to taste 3 Green onions, chopped

Method: In a large stock pot, saute 2/3 of the chopped kohlrabi, the leek, and 1/2 of the carrots in a little canola oil.  When they are soft, add the lentils, the garlic and 4 cups of broth.  Cover and let simmer until the vegetables are tender.

Remove from heat and puree roughly with an immersion blender.  Add the remaining broth, carrots, kohlrabi, Kaffir lime leaves and chili pepper.  Let simmer for about 20 minutes, then add the ginger, lime juice, coconut milk, and kale.  Stir and cook on low heat until the kale is wilted.  Salt to taste.  Add about a tablespoon of chopped green onions to each bowl before serving.

Roasted Kohlrabi, Beets and Fennel

The presentation of this dish is half of what makes it so good. But she's not just a pretty face. Roasting brassicas and root vegetables intensifies the flavors, caramelizes the natural sugars, and creates a perfect foundation for the rich, lemony sauce.  Any color beets will work, but the red ones give the best color contrast for presentation. If you don't have fennel, you can substitute shallots or red onion, but the fennel really makes this dish special.

Ingredients: 1 large fennel bulb 2 beets 2 kohlrabi bulbs Canola oil Sea salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 recipe for Lemon Tarragon Sauce (click link or see March 21, 2012)

Method: Wash and trim vegetables.  Peeling is optional.  Slice vegetables thinly with a mandolin slicer or a very sharp chef's knife (about 1/8 in thick).  Brush or rub canola oil in the bottom of a glass or ceramic baking dish.  Layer the vegetables in a fan-like pattern, alternating as you go.  You can use a spiral pattern in a round dish, starting on the outside edge of the pan.  Drizzle a little canola oil over the top of the vegetables and salt and pepper to taste.  Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until the edges brown.  Remove from oven and serve with Lemon Tarragon Sauce.

Easy Greens

This recipe is great for using the tops of your beets, kohlrabi, or any other flat-leafed greens like kale, collards, and chard.  We finish with a simple balsamic vinegar, but you can use any acidic flavor that you prefer and season to taste.  The most important part is slicing the leaves thinly, making a really enjoyable texture.

Method: Remove greens from the beets and kohlrabi.  (Use any other greens available if you want to make a large batch for more than 2 people.)  Wash the greens in a sink full of cold water.  Cut the leaves away from the hard rib in the center of the leaf (or leave in if you like the extra crunch).  Stack and fold (or roll) the leaves lengthwise and cut across the short side with a large, sharp knife.  Make sure to slice as thinly as possible for the best texture.

Heat a couple of tablespoons of canola oil in a large skillet and add the greens.  Saute until tender on medium-high heat, moving the greens around often so that they cook more evenly. Add a splash of balsamic vinegar, sea salt and some toasted garlic drizzling oil.  Cook a minute or two longer to allow the acid of the vinegar to mellow.  These can be cooked ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Pumpkin Seed Pesto

Something new at SMF this year will be the addition of some fresh herbs in the weekly CSA.  Basil is a favorite for most, and fresh pesto is another amazing flavor-booster for steamed vegetables, sandwiches and pasta dishes. There are many ways to make pesto, but this is my favorite.  Walnuts and pine nuts are also nice, but the pumpkin seeds have more protein, fiber, and a broader spectrum of vitamins and minerals than most tree nuts and seeds. Ingredients: At least 1 packed cup of basil leaves, (I usually use as much as I have on hand). 1 cup green, raw pumpkin seeds 1 cup olive oil 3-5 cloves of fresh garlic, peeled 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese (optional) Juice from one lemon Salt to taste

Put all ingredients into a blender or food processor.  Pulse to mix the ingredients, then puree until fairly smooth. Adjust ingredients to taste.  Refrigerate or freeze any unused portions.  Tip:  Freeze in small portions or in ice-cube trays, storing in freezer bags once the cubes are firm.  To thaw, place in a dish at room temperature for about 30 minutes before using.  Do not microwave or use heat to thaw.

From Cabo to Mt. Shasta: Auntie's Guacamole

I can't wait for the beginning of the CSA season.  I'm trying to be patient...(toe tapping, fingers drumming on the table...)  Ok, maybe I'm not so patient.  But can you blame me? Veggies are growing and the first harvest is just around the corner.  I am thinking about early season produce like radishes, kale and spring onions...oooh, fresh spring onions. Of course they are easy to incorporate into recipes, and my favorite is guacamole.  Many people know it as a dip, but it is also great on sandwiches, as a creamy filler, or garnish on so many things.  There are endless interpretations of this dish that began centuries ago as a simple Mayan sauce of mashed avocado and sea salt. This particular recipe, however, comes from my northern Californian aunt who likes to spend her winters at the southern tip of Baja. The flavors are fresh and clean, and despite my previous claims of versatility, this guacamole goes best with a Pacifico, fish taco, and a sunset. Buen provecho!

Auntie's Guacamole:

2 just-ripe Hass avocados 3 green spring onions, chopped 3 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed 1 small bunch of cilantro, stems and leaves chopped 1 large lime, juiced Jalapeno pepper, diced (optional) Sea salt to taste Cut avocados into four pieces lengthwise.  Remove seed and peel the skin away from the fruit.  Place the avocado in a bowl with the other ingredients and mash with a fork or use a molcajete for authentic texture.