Storage and Preparation:
If you find the green leaves still
attached to the bulbs, they should be trimmed and prepared the day you
buy them. The bulbs can be stored in a perforated plastic vegetable bag
in a refrigerator drawer for up to a week. Old-time European gardeners
left them in the ground until after the first frost or stored them
buried in sand for several months. Our modern houses and apartments
don't provide space to keep them that way, so they are relegated to the
refrigerator.
The outer layer of kohlrabi vegetables is very fibrous, and whether
eaten raw or cooked, kohlrabi has to be peeled. Once cooked or
parboiled, the skin comes off easily and any additional fibers can be
pulled off. If you are preparing kohlrabi to eat raw, it will peel much
like broccoli stems. Cut a small slice off the top and bottom of the
bulb and with a sharp knife, strip off the outer skin and fibers in a
thick layer.
Once peeled, kohlrabi can be cut into any shape or size, or it can be
left whole. It can be quartered, diced, sliced, cut into matchstick
strips, or cut into large chunks. If you will be adding it to a cold
display, it can be sliced and cut into decorative shapes. Any leftover
bits and pieces can be used in soups or salads.
Kohlrabi leaves should be well washed and stemmed. They can be left
whole or cut into shreds before cooking. Prepare them any way you might
prepare beet greens or spinach.
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