I tend to root for the underdog.
That poor sad sack trotting along inlast place, the one downa millionpoints in the match, or getting his keister kicked in the ring. That’s theguy Iback every time,although to be totallyhonest, I’m not sure why.Maybe it’s because beneath all my sass I have a bitof a bleeding heart, you know the kind which wants to fix everything, especially things outside my control. “Yeah, that’s not at all frustrating,” she says oozing sarcasm and rolling her eyesskyward.
Whatever the case may be, the dark horse wins in my book.
It’s alsowhy I had to give Kohlrabi some recipe love today.
And the crowd responds, “Kohl-What?”
See, that’s exactly what I’m talking about. It’s an under-utilized,down on its luck, rarely seen vegetable. For most of us, Kohlrabi is an unknown ora bit of oddity, the last one picked for schoolyard games, the guy at the lunch table, sitting solo andpoking half heartedly at his food, while ingesting nothing.
I, on the other hand,see thislonely, big, andbulbousvegetable as a diamond in the rough, an interesting treasure just waiting tobe found and photographed, preferably selfie style, especially when youmanage to come across one the size of your head.
Speaking of which, I doubt you’lldiscover Kohlrabi ata standard grocerystore, although your local farmers market might be a good bet. For me,those orbs of delightarea constant in my summer CSA share, popping up around this time every year.In fact, it’s how we firstmet manymoons ago and the sole reason I delved into Kohlrabi territory.
I’m not 100% certain how to describe the taste and texture of Kohlrabi, which really is rather unfortunate for you.Honestly, it’sits own thingand tastes nothing like chicken. Fine, if I have to get more specific, I’d say Kohlrabiis what happens when apples,cabbage and cauliflower collide, an interesting threesome to be sure.
This summer will be my fifthyear with Kohlrabi, so needless to say, I’ve prepared them inamultitude of ways. I’vealso fed them to the Hubby,who much to his own chagrin, rather enjoyed his extraterrestrial friend. I say that because he calls Kohlrabi ‘Alien Vegetables,’ allwhile raisinghis eyebrows insmug certainness that not only will he not like them, but he also has no intentions ofeating them. Of course, his reluctancedoes notstop me from cooking with them. In fact, it makesit more of a challenge, which appeals to my competitive side (#poundschest).
I’ve roasted Kohlrabi, I’ve sautéed Kohlrabi, I’ve eventaken it out for dinner, drinks and a scenic drive, ending at Lookout Point.Alright fine,I embellished onthat last one,only becauseunderdogs need love in the form of creative liberties. You understand, and if I get verbally splashy, it’s simply because I want you guys to seek out these Alien Vegetables and cook something fabulous with them, these fritters to be exact.
My version of Kohlrabi fritters is sassy, salty, and a wee bit spicy because of the happy jalapeno I tossed in the mix. They’re also a touch cheesy, not at all surprising, and most definitely well seasoned because I wouldn’t have it any other way. I strongly encourage you to do me and more importantly yourself a favor by betting on this underdog. You’ll find he’s well worth the investment.
Kohlrabi Fritters
2015-05-21 19:00:18
These delicious, savory fritters are perfect for a quick and easy meat free meal or as a veggie side dish. Chock full of kohlrabi, it's a great way to sneak in extra greens!
Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
40 min
Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
40 min
Ingredients
- 1 cup packed Kohlrabi, peeled, shredded, and drained*
- 2 Eggs
- 1/3 cup Onion, diced
- 1/3 cup Parmesan, shredded
- 1/2 small Jalapeno, chopped fine
- 1/4 cup Breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup Flour
- 1/4 tsp. Pepper
- 1/4 tsp. Salt
- 1/4 tsp. Onion Powder
- 1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder
- 1 - 2 Tbsps. Olive Oil for sautéing.
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until combined. It will resemble a sticky dough. Using your hands, form mixture into patties.
- Heat olive oil on a skillet on medium-high heat. Place patties on hot skillet, and sear on one side until brown, approximately three minutes. Flip patties and leave on medium high heat for another two minutes. They should be lightly browned. Reduce heat to low and leave on skillet until patties are cooked through, another five to seven minutes.
- Remove from skillet and eat warm. You can eat them solo or serve them with a side of sour cream for dipping. The tomatoes and greens in the pictures were really just to make them look prettier.
Notes
- To prep the kohlrabi, cut off the tentacles (you can add these to your compost bin or have fun tormenting your spouse or significant other with them - just a thought), peel the outside green layer. Shred the inside bulb in a food processor or with a grater. Sprinkle shredded kohlrabi with a little bit of salt and let sit for a fifteen minutes to help release the liquid. After 15 minutes, drain the kohlrabi using a cheese cloth, a wet paper towel or your hands. I go with the last one, mainly because I don't own any cheese cloth.
By Meghan McCarthy
Clean Eats, Fast Feets http://cleaneatsfastfeets.com/
Today’s post is being shared with Laura’s Strange But Good because hello, Kohlrabi Fritters.It doesn’t get much stranger than that.
Have you ever heard of Kohlrabi? Taken selfies with them? Eaten them? If so, what’s your favorite way to prepareit?
