What the? That was my reaction upon first laying eyes upon...kolhrabi. Hey, I think I know alot about veggies, I eat and cook with a ton of them, but when it arrived in my CSA veggie share last week, I didn't quite know what to do with it.
So I googled it, and discovered that it would be mighty fine just peeled and sliced thinly, raw, so that's what I did. YUM! A sweet, tender-crisp broccoli/cauliflower sort of taste, I love it. And therefore bought some more, at Byerly's (today), and turned it into a lovely salad for dinner tonight, shaved, with shaved fennel and shaved pecorino romano. Drizzle of olive oil and red wine vinegar, sprinkle of salt and pepper, delicious.Inspired by the Taste section of the Star Tribune this morning, as well as two bunches of unused asparagus in the cooler, I whipped up a lovely pureed
asparagus soup as a little appetizer. Mmmm...and so light. Tastes creamy but has no cream in it at all, other than the itty bitty bit I drizzled on top for garnish.And for a main course, I wrapped tilapia filets in foil, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with chopped herbs from my pots: a bit of tarragon, basil, and rosemary, along with some sliced cherry tomatoes and salt and pepper. Put the foil packet on the grill for about 15 minutes and voila, a light and lovely fish course, fantastic with a glass of Sancerre. Ahhh, summer... (Recipes posted in comments, below.)
Made into a perfect day by a visit from Kim and Emily, and Susie, Vivian, and Sullivan, here for a swim. The kids had a BLAST in the pool, and the moms - my minxes! - had a blast chatting while the minxettes swam. Again, ahhh, summer...
posted by Stephanie @ 10:11 PM
3 Comments:
Asparagus Soup
Adapted from a recipe by Sara Monick
Makes 4 cups
1 ½ lbs. fresh, peeled asparagus, woody ends discarded, sliced into ½-inch pieces (buy extra so that you have 1 ½ lbs. after you’ve trimmed and peeled it)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 can chicken broth (14 oz.)
water
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
few drops hot sauce, optional
1 Tbsp. minced chives (for garnish)
2 Tbsp. heavy cream (for garnish)
In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat and sauté onion for 5 minutes. Add sliced asparagus and sauté until softened, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chicken broth to cover (add a bit of water if there’s not quite enough liquid) and simmer for 10 minutes or until asparagus is just soft. Puree mixture thoroughly in a blender. Cool to room temp, uncovered, then chill the soup. Stir in lemon juice, hot sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Serve garnished with minced chives and a drizzle of heavy cream.
Salad of Shaved Fennel, Kohlrabi, and Pecorino
Stephanie Levy
Serves 4
This is pale, crunchy, and salty/sweet. Delicious.
3 small bulbs of kohlrabi, leaves removed, peeled, tough end discarded (the leaves can be chopped and cooked separately), shaved with a mandoline or sliced very thinly with a sharp knife
2 small bulbs of fennel, leaves removed, end and tough inner core discarded, shaved with a mandoline or sliced very thinly with a sharp knife
1/3 c. pecorino romano cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
salt and pepper
Combine kohlrabi, fennel, and pecorino in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Whisk oil and vinegar together in a small bowl and drizzle over vegetables. Toss, adjust seasoning, and serve immediately.
Tilapia with Herbs in Foil on the Grill
Stephanie Levy
Serves 4
1 ½ lbs. tilapia filets (or other mild, thin, white fish such as sole or snapper)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper
¼ c. minced fresh herbs (tarragon, basil, oregano, chives and/or rosemary)
¼ c. chopped fresh tomato
1 Tbsp. minced shallot
1 Tbsp. cold butter, cut into small pieces
Preheat grill. Meanwhile, lay out two large pieces of aluminum foil, one on top of the other (for double thickness), making sure the foil pieces are large enough to accommodate the fish filets when laid out side-by-side. Drizzle 1 Tbsp. of the oil on the foil, then place the fish filets on the oil, smearing them around a bit so the underside of the fish is coated. Drizzle the remaining 1 Tbsp. of oil on top of the fish. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper, then herbs, chopped tomato, and minced shallot. Dot butter pieces over the top of the fish, then top the fish with two more large pieces of aluminum foil. Roll up and crimp the edges to seal the packet. Turn the grill to low heat and place the packet on the grill. Cook for 7 minutes on one side, flip the packet with a spatula and cook for 7 minutes on the second side. Packet may puff up with steam, that’s fine. Remove the packet from the grill, carefully open it up, and take a look at the fish. If it’s opaque and tender, it’s done. Reseal and pop back on the grill for another 5 minutes if needed.
Serve with rice or crusty bread (good pan juices).
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