New Veggies Coming

Kohlrabi - A member of the same family that gives us broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage and more; therefore it is very nutritious, while being low in calories. Both the leaves and funny looking bulb are edible - I typically cut the leaves off and put into the freezer for use in soups - they tend to be a bit more tough than some of the other leaves. However, you can saute them with other greens - just add them to the pan a bit earlier than tender leaves. Kohlrabi bulbs store really well in plastic in the fridge - staying delicious for weeks! Peel these funny bulbs (although I have seen Derek eat them skin and all!) and then slice and eat raw as part of a crudite platter, added for crunch to salads, julienned or shredded for use in cole slaw; cut into chunks, tossed with olive oil and salt and roasted in a 375 degree oven until brown and tender for about 30 minutes depending on the size of the chunks; or shredded and made into fritters.

Romaine - This one is familiar to most people as the main green for Caesar salad. We love to halve or quarter the heads, brush them with a bit of olive oil and grill on direct heat, till just barely charred on the cut side(s). Remove from grill, chop up and toss with your favorite Caesar or other dressing. As with other lettuce greens, do not store in a way that the head sits in water. Place a paper towel or kitchen towel in the bag or container you store it in.

Radicchio - A member of the chicory family, along with escarole, among others. One of the important things about this veggie from a nutritional standpoint is it contains a chemical that helps the body soak up glucose, which helps prevents glucose resistance. It lasts pretty long in the fridge in plastic - if I am mixing it with other lettuces, I tear off a leaf at a time. Radicchio is quite bitter, and it seems people love it or hate it. There are a lot of ways to minimize the bitterness: mix it with other, more mild lettuces, dress with a balsamic vinegar based dressing and top with the cheese and/or nuts of your choice. Grill it or roast it, chop up and toss with pasta, drizzle with olive oil and grated cheese. To grill or roast it, cut into halves or quarters, leaving the the core intact. Brush with olive oil or a balsamic vinaigrette, and roast in a 400 degree oven for 12-15 min. To grill, use medium heat, turn frequently and remove when a fork pierces it easily, about 8-12 min. A couple uses for these is over pasta, chopped, drizzled with olive oil, feta cheese and chopped herbs. BTW, I haven't had this season's radicchio, but the varieties the farm has had in the past are far less bitter than what you buy in the store. But I have heard people in the pick up room saying it is just too bitter - I hope you try it - check out this site for recipes and ideas.

Escarole - Another member of the chicory family, but not as bitter. The outer, darker leaves are thicker and somewhat bitter - the inner leaves are more pale, softer in both texture and flavor. Escarole is another one of the leafy veggies that can be enjoyed raw or cooked and you should try doing both. Use the inner leaves in your salads, and saute the outer leaves with garlic and red pepper flakes. Add a can of white beans and some stock of your choice. Toss with pasta (or not and have a nice bread to dunk up up the juices). Of course the iconic Italian Wedding Soup features escarole (in my family it was called Escarole soup).

Check out this site for recipes for all of these amazing veggies!