Week 2: Hakurei

I really like to say hakurei.

I also like to eat hakurei.

Hakurei, sometimes called salad turnips, are small Japanese turnips. They are very mild and a bit fruity tasting. More like delicious radishes than turnips. They are also in this week's share. Eat the greens and the roots raw in salad or lightly cooked (check out the hakurei board for a few recipe ideas).

Along with the hakurei, members will receive: Kale, Braising Mix, Kohlrabi, Head Lettuce, Spring Onions, Beets or Carrots, and Parsley or Sorrel. 

We are finally starting to relax a little this season. Weather is settling into "normal" after the challenging (to put it mildly) spring and things are moving forward. The rain keeps chasing us out of the fields, making the soil too wet to plant into, so we still have a few odds and ends to make their way into the ground. 

Scott finally decided today to plant the watermelon starts in the hoophouse, where we just harvested (and will be harvesting tomorrow) the early kohlrabi. Mostly that leaves the gourds to go in somewhere, and I'm pretty sure that I am the only person who will feel true sadness if we don't get a good gourd harvest this year ;)

Things are looking good. There's watermelon growing in that
hoophouse over yonder.

There is more kohlrabi coming this week, and my guess is that more than a few of you still have your kohlrabi from last week - and are wondering what to do with them. Tender spring kohlrabi make a wonderful salad, and pair well with sour sorrel (another item many members ask about). Which is why I came up with this recipe.

Kohlrabi Salad

 The hakurei would be a lovely addition to this salad as well, and you can use parsley instead of sorrel for a different flavor.

• 2 small to medium kohlrabi, peeled and sliced thinly
• 5-6 kohlrabi leaves (go for the small, tender ones) sliced into narrow ribbons
• 10 - 12 sorrel leaves, sliced into narrow ribbons
• 1 apple, sliced thinly
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• salt and pepper to taste

Chop the kohlrabi and apple slices into bite sized pieces. Combine the kohlrabi, greens, and apple in a bowl that is large enough to toss the ingredients. 

Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, and honey. Add salt and pepper to taste to the dressing. Drizzle the dressing over the salad or serve it on the side.