Celeriac Gets Smashed

Celeriac takes the cake for me as far as the most odd-looking of the root veggies. I've heard kohlrabi described as "extraterrestrial" in the farm store, but with celeriac's knotted outer layer it looks far more out of this world.

Other notable qualities of celeriac include that it has far less starch then other root veggies, and is good cooked or raw. It is a type of celery that is grown for the root and because it takes on the flavor of celery it is great for adding to soups and stews.

Below is an excellent recipe for smashed celeriac from Jamie Oliver. I added some of the German Butterball potatoes we had in the share to it and made a delicious and comforting Saturday lunch!

1 celeriac, peeled

olive oil

1 handful of fresh thyme, leaves picked

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

3-4 tablespoons water or stock

Slice about 1/2 inch off the bottom of your celeriac and roll it on to that flat edges, so it's nice and safe to slice. Slice and dice it into 1/2 inch cubes. Put a casserole-type pot on a high heat, add 3 good lugs of olive oil, then add the celeriac, thyme and garlic, with a little seasoning. Stir around to coat and fry quite fast, giving a little color, for 5 minutes. Turn the heat down to a simmer, add the water or stock, place a lid on top and cook for around 25 minutes, until tender. Season carefully to taste and stir around with a spoon to smash up the celeriac.

I served this with butter over wilted greens! Yum!

Hearty Potato Soup

It's been so cold around here and so I've been in search of recipes that are going to stick to my ribs while I'm out playing or working in the snow! Here is a classic potato soup recipe that I helped make at a friend's house a couple days ago. It is a delicious and easy way to use the heirloom German Butterball potatoes we had in our farm share this week. My friends and I added bacon, but that is optional.

2 lbs potatoes

1/2 lb of bacon

1 onion

2 cloves of garlic

Milk or cream to taste

1 stick of butter

herbs to your liking (we used a bit of rosemary on top!)

Peel the potatoes if you like, boil in a soup pot. Brown bacon with the onion and garlic. Add milk/cream and butter, salt and pepper, herbs, bacon, onion, and garlic to the potatoes. Let cook and mash together. Add a bit of shredded parmesan cheese and chopped herbs to top!

Stay warm and eat well!

Sauteed Sunchokes with Sunflower Seeds

What to do with all these knobby roots this time of year? Here is a new recipe for sunchokes that Terry tried out just a few nights ago, and was generous enough to share some with me! No need to peel the sunchokes, just scrub them well and slice them thinly. Terry chose to use peanut oil, a great decision! And I loved it so much I just had to let you all in on this amazing recipe from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison.

Sauteed Sunchokes with Sunflower Seeds

1 1/2 pounds sunchokes (also called Jerusalem artichokes), sliced into 1/4 inch rounds

2 tablespoons sunflower seed oil, or other high heat oil such as peanut to taste

3 tablespoons sunflower seeds, toasted

2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon chopped thyme

Saute the sunchokes in the oil in a large skillet over high heat until lightly browned and tender, but still a bit crisp. Taste them as they cook; they can be done in 5 minutes or as many as 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, add the sunflower seeds, parsley, and thyme, and toss well. Serves 4-6.

Kohlrabi Tzatziki

Kohlrabi is a "stout' member of the brassica family along with cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli...some of our favorite veggies here in the Pacific Northwest! Visually it is the most distinctive of it's family, although it's taste is familiar, crisp, sweet, and similar to cabbage. I still get questions everyday at the farm store about this delightful vegetable. While it can be cooked, at Terry's Berries we really prefer it raw.

Grated fresh over salads, or in a winter veggie slaw, with a bit of vinegar, salt, and pepper, it's just delicious. Around this time of year the green or purple skin on the outside gets very thick, so be sure to peel the kohlrabi before use. Also be sure to slice the bottom of it off because where it attaches to the stalk can be a bit tough and woody. After that the kohlrabi can then be thinly cut (excellent for a veggie party platter or for veggie sticks for a school lunch bag) or grated. Or check out this super easy recipe from New York Magazine, where it is used as a substitute for cucumber in a cooler season tzatziki.

Charles Brassards Kohlrabi Tzatziki

4 medium kohlrabi
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbs. salt
1 qt. Greek yogurt
2 oz. lemon juice
1/4 cup mint, roughly chopped
Extra-virgin olive oil, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

(1) Cut the leaves off the kohlrabi, and save them for another use. (2) Peel away tough outer skin.(3) Cut bulbs into large pieces, and coarsely grate them. In a bowl, combine grated kohlrabi, chopped garlic, and tablespoon of salt and let sit for 15 minutes to draw out liquid. Strain or squeeze out liquid, and discard. Toss kohlrabi with yogurt, lemon juice, mint, and a drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Serve as a side with grilled fish or meats.