K is for: Kohlrabi Salad {Shaved} with Nectarines & Chioggia Beets

One of the things I love about having a food blog (particularly an alphabet-themed one) is it inspires me to try things I normally wouldn’t think to make. Take “K week” for example. As I was googling “foods that start with the letter K” (no seriously, I actually do that), the vegetable kohlrabi popped up. I’ve heard of kohlrabi, but I don’t think I’ve actually ever tried it.

Like other root vegetables, you can totally roast this and it would turn out great. But I decided to shave it paper thin and serve it in a salad along with some other fruits and vegetables. Now I wish I could tell you that I dreamed up what turned out to be a vibrant combination of beets, radishes and nectarines all on my own….but it was more the product of accidentally receiving *two* CSA boxes this week. So I literally opened up my fridge and made this salad based on what I had on hand. But I have to say, I was extremely proud and would totally make this combo again on purpose.



I had originally planned to use regular-sized kohlrabi, but my neighborhood Mollie Stones only had the baby ones, so baby kohlrabi it was! I actually liked this better because they were more bite-sized, which worked well in the salad. They come in purple and light green, but the insides of both look exactly the same so I don’t think it really matters.


I trimmed them, peeled them, and then sliced them super thin on my mandoline. The taste is pretty mild. It’s been described as tasting like the stem of broccoli. I found it to be sweeter and nuttier tasting than that. Whatever it was, I liked it.


I also had some nectarines, so I grabbed a couple of those as well. I really liked the sweet and tart aspect they added to the finished product.


Before you anti-beet-people start hating on the next ingredient…please stop and acknowledge how gorgeous these things are. This is a Chioggia beet. I think it is so pretty. It's like a fuchsia tie-dyed version of the original. I also think it might be my favorite tasting beet. It’s sweeter and milder than regular beets, so beet-haters might be persuaded to give these a chance. I had never eaten a raw beet before (another first!) and I liked it a lot. Just like the kohlrabi, you’ll need to peel and thinly slice on a mandoline. If you are totally against beets, then try subbing a fennel bulb.


And finally, I had a couple radishes hanging out in the bottom of my vegetable drawer, so those go in as well. I thought they really went well with the color scheme of my gorgeous salad, don't you?


The dressing I concocted was super easy. Just combine shallots, ginger, olive oil, lemon, mustard, honey and some salt and pepper. I find that dressing recipes are super subjective depending on who is making it. I suggest taste testing and adjusting with more ingredients to your liking (if necessary).


Top with some toasted almonds (I think sliced ones with the skins still on would've been prettier, but I had slivered almonds on hand so that's what I used). I also added some shaved cheese, which was a mixture of cow's, goat's and sheep's milk and it was a perfect addition to all of the flavors and textures. Garnish with fresh mint and serve. I ate the entire thing in one sitting, but if you were making as appetizer-sized, it would probably make 3-4 salads.

Kohlrabi Salad with Nectarines & Chioggia Beets

by Jaymee Sire
Keywords: salad appetizer side gluten-free vegetarian low-fat low-carb beet kohlrabi radish almond

Ingredients (3-4 salads)
Instructions
  1. Peel kohlrabi & beet and thinly slice with a mandoline. Thinly slice radish and nectarine.
  2. Using the whisking attachment of immersion blender, combine shallots, ginger, olive oil, lemon, mustard, honey and salt & pepper. Taste test and add more ingredients to your liking if necessary.
  3. Toss vegetables with dressing and top with almonds and cheese. Garnish with sprig of fresh mint.
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