Stir Fry Vegetables with Rice Vinegar

One of our most frequent dinners is stir fried vegetables served over rice. We make this all the time, but each time it turns out a little bit differently because we use different vegetables, meats and seasonings. Although that makes it a little difficult to write an exact recipe, it also makes it a really great idea for an ever changing CSA.

Below is our latest favorite version, featuring broccoli, turnips, kohlrabi, cabbage and rice vinegar – all those green and white vegetables look quite pretty! You may not have rice vinegar and fish oil in your pantry already, but they are easily available at local groceries (check the asian section). If you like sushi rolls, you’ll recognize the fresh flavor of rice vinegar that goes nicely with crisp vegetables like these.

Feel free to adjust the spiciness of the red chile flakes. You can also vary the quantities and vegetables in this recipe, but I think it works especially well with crisp green vegetables. This version is vegetarian, but it goes nicely with shrimp or pork.

Ingredients

• 2-3 cups cooked rice
• 1 tsp oil
• 2 TBSP soy sauce or to taste
• 1/2 tsp red chile flakes
• 1 TBSP minced garlic
• 1 TBSP minced ginger
• 1 leek or onion diced
• 1 green bell pepper diced
• 2-3 cups broccoli florets
• 1-2 small white turnips sliced
• 2 TBSP rice vinegar
• 1 TBSP fish sauce
• 1-2 cups sliced cabbage
• 1-2 kohlrabi peeled and sliced

1. Prepare rice and set aside.

2. Add oil, soy sauce, red chiles flakes, garlic, and ginger to a pan on medium heat. Add onion, pepper, broccoli and turnips and saute for approximately 5 minutes. Don’t let the onions get translucent.

3. Add the rice vinegar and fish sauce, cabbage and kohlrabi. Continue to saute until vegetables are heated through. Remove from heat.

Serve the vegetables over rice.

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Kohlrabi Pie

I love that participating in the CSA means that I have to learn about and try new foods – even foods from outer space! Well, maybe not outer space, but kohlrabi was pretty far off my radar before this week. After a bit of reading and tasting this week, I’m over the moon for kohlrabi.

When I picked up my box this week, Ray showed me the kohlrabi and said its great sliced raw in a salad, so I was eager to try it raw. It does indeed have an amazing crispy texture, and a sweet broccoli-like flavor. I could have eaten the whole thing raw. You may have seen Ashley’s recipe for Kohlrabi and Bacon in the last newsletter – that sounds like a win-win to me, and will definitely be my next Kohlrabi dish.

It turns out, as a general rule, you can substitute kohlrabi in any potato recipe. So you could try Kohlrabi Fries or Turnips and Kohlrabi Au Gratin. Unlike the potato however, kohlrabi is low in calories and high in vitamins C. I’m not sure how it could get much better. I baked mine into a quiche with other veggies and some feta cheese, which makes such a simple but festive comfort meal.

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 2 cups of whipping cream
• 1 cup feta cheese
• 1 kohlrabi
• about 1/2 cup sliced fresh tomatoes
• kale, about 3 leaves
• paprika and salt
• pie crust (recipe below)

1. Preheat oven to 425

2. Prepare the pie crust. You can make a crust quickly or use a store bought crust. [My crust is made with 1 cup flour and a 1/4 cup butter or margarine. Cut the butter into pea size pieces with a pastry cutter or by criss crossing knives in the bowl. Add 1 tsp salt and 4-5 TBSPs cold water and stir until moistened. Pat the dough into a ball, flatten and roll out. Press the crust in the pie plate.] Put the pie crust in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.

3. Beat eggs, then beat in cream and feta cheese.

4. Peel the kohlrabi to get to the white flesh under the skin. Then cut it into quarters and slice thinly.Tear up the kale and slice the tomatoes. You could use red russian kale, spinach, or broccoli rabe in place of the kale. I always like a little tomatoes in a quiche for the color, but you can substitute other vegetables if you like, or decrease the veggies and add a little sausage.

5. Add vegetables to egg mixture, and season with salt and paprika. Stir until evenly distributed and pour the mixture into the pie crust. Mine is a little too full, probably because I used too many vegetables, but that’s okay.

6. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before slicing.

Quiches are excellent make ahead meals! To reheat later, cover the top with foil and put in a hot (350 degree) oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil, and warm for 5 more minutes or until heated through. Ours will be dinner the night before Thanksgiving so we don’t have to dirty any more dishes!

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Kohlrabi with Bacon

Adapted from a recipe courtesy of Criss Roberts from the cookbook “Edible”

makes 4 servings

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 4 kohlrabi bulbs (about 2.5 lbs), outer rind removed, cut into 1/2 in. cubes
• 2 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 slices pork bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional)
• 1/4 cup sour cream

In a large saute pan, heat the butter and oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes. Stir in the kohlrabi and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1minute. Add the chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Increase the heat to medium high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kohlrabi is tender an the broth has been absorbed, 3 to 4 minutes.

Stir in the bacon, if using. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve hot, with sour cream on the side.

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