Monday, January 25, 2010

Kohlrabi, lima beans, and tomatoes


Approx. 220 Calories per serving. Recipe makes 2 servings.

Having grown up in the midwest, I associate kohlrabi with being something that is picked out of the garden in the middle of the summer. However, here in Phoenix, it is a winter crop. I've been so cold lately that I needed something that reminded me of summer, so I bought some kohlrabi, lima beans, and tomatoes. As a kid, I loved eating kohlrabi (and lima beans, and tomatoes....) but I only remember eating it raw - with a little sprinkle of salt. I decided to see what would happen if I cooked it.

This was unbelievably good! (If you dislike cabbage and/or turnips, you might not agree with me). Even BLU, my dog that HATES vegetables, was begging for kohlrabi pieces .... and eating them.... and begging for more! She spit out the lima bean that I gave her.

Just a warning if you make this dish. While it was delicous, it left a rather distinctive sour cabbage smell in the house that even Oust air freshener didn't make a dent in. My house smells like an old German grandma's house right now. I had planned to take the leftovers for lunch tomorrow, but I might have to rethink that - since it might "stink" up the place when I reheat them.

Ingredients
  • 1 large kohlrabi (about 3 cups)
  • 1 cup lima beans (I used frozen)
  • 4 Roma or plum tomatoes (about 1 cup)
  • 1/2 Tbs olive oil
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 oz white wine
  • red pepper flakes, to taste
  • black pepper, to taste

Directions
  1. Remove leaves and then peel the kohlrabi.
    (If the leaves are tender, you can add those too. If the skin is tender, you don't need to peel it. The skin was woody and the leaves were really tough on mine, so I removed them both.)
  2. Julienne or matchstick cut the kohlrabi.
  3. Dice the tomatoes.
  4. Add the oil to a skillet and heat.
  5. Add the kohlrabi and stir fry for 3-4 minutes.
  6. Add the lima beans (I didn't bother to thaw them first), water, and a splash of white wine.
  7. Let cook until the kohlrabi is tender and most of the fluid evaporates off.
  8. Add the tomatoes and spices.
  9. Cook until the tomatoes are hot all the way through and just start to soften.

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