Kohlrabi

Interesting facts

Kohlrabi belongs to the cabbage (Brassica) family and is therefore related to broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. The exact origin of kohlrabi is still unclear. However, it is believed that it originated in the northern Mediterranean. At the end of the 16th century, kohlrabi was widespread in Europe. However, it enjoyed particular popularity in Germany, which is why the name kohlrabi was adopted in other languages.

 

The name kohlrabi comes from Latin and means the same as turnip. Unlike other turnips, however, it grows above the ground.

 

When selecting a variety, it is important to us to produce kohlrabi that grows to an impressive size and has a fresh, slightly sweet taste with a subtle hint of cabbage. Although our kohlrabi are an impressive size, they are not woody at all, but very delicate in texture. The woodiness of kohlrabi has nothing to do with size, but to the choice of variety. Stress factors during cultivation can also lead to the kohlrabi becoming woody. Then it will grow either spherical or highly oval in shape. When buying, you should therefore make sure that the kohlrabi has a flat oval shape, with a slight indentation on the top.

We grow our kohlrabi outdoors at our sites in Büttelborn (southern Hesse), in Ohlendorf (Lower Saxony) and in fields in Bornheim (North Rhine-Westphalia). When it’s too cold for outdoor cultivation in Germany, our kohlrabi grows at our Spanish plant in Balsapintada (Murcia).

 

Despite technological advances, harvesting kohlrabi still requires a great deal of manual work. This is because the whole bulb is pulled out of the soil by hand and then cut off from the root with a knife. The cut must be carefully targeted so as not to damage the underside of the bulbs, otherwise the kohlrabi can rot faster.

When cooking kohlrabi, you should first remove the green part. Then cut a slightly thicker slice at the bottom with a sharp knife to remove the stalk. The peel can be cut away in a circular motion like an apple or a potato. Cut the peeled kohlrabi into cubes or slices as desired.

 

This versatile bulb can be served raw as a salad or cut into sticks as a snack vegetable. Kohlrabi is also popular as a steamed vegetable accompaniment to meat and fish. But this impressive vegetable can do so much more. For example, it can be used to make a delicious cream soup, vegetable casseroles, stuffed kohlrabi or even kohlrabi fries. There are almost no limits to the imagination and, prepared raw as a snack or cooked, kohlrabi also has many loyal fans among children.

 

When buying, make sure that the kohlrabi bulb is as intact as possible and that the stems are firm and crisp. Before storing in the fridge, you should cut off the leaves from the bulb and store them separately, otherwise the leaves will draw the moisture out of the bulb. The leaves can only be kept for a few days, whereas the bulb, preferably wrapped in a damp cloth, will keep in the fridge for a good week.

Kohlrabi fries
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Country of origin
Germany
Spain
other countries