|
|
Expand Veggie Repertoire with Fresh Produce
By
Carol L. Spence
LEXINGTON, Ky., (June 13, 2007) – Sometimes, getting those five
to nine daily servings of fruits and vegetables into a diet
seems daunting. And to those whose vegetable repertoire is
limited to the basic beans, peas, carrots and corn, it might
seem impossible. Just how many cups of peas can one person eat
in a day, anyway?
Farmers’ markets are overflowing with the greens and root crops
of late spring and early summer. And tucked in among the usual
lettuce, spinach and broccoli, there are treasures that may not
be as familiar to some consumers. Vegetables such as Swiss chard
and kohlrabi can add variety to standard fare.
Kohlrabi, originating from Eastern Europe, is a member of the
cabbage family. It has a thickened stem resembling an
aboveground turnip. Smaller stems with leaves protrude from the
top of the thick center stem. Both leaves and stems of the plant
are edible. The stem can be entirely white, or green or purple
with a white center.
Jackie Walters, University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension
family and consumer sciences specialist, said that kohlrabi can
be a wise vegetable choice during the hot summer months since it
is a good source of potassium.
“Potassium is necessary for regulating water, blood pressure and
muscle contraction,” she said. “It is especially important to
get adequate potassium during hot weather, to prevent
dehydration.”
Besides potassium, kohlrabi is a potent source of vitamin C.
Based on a 2,000 calorie diet, one cup of cooked, sliced
kohlrabi provides 150 percent of the Reference Daily Intake or
RDI (the current term for recommended daily value) of vitamin C.
Chef Bob Perry, coordinator of the UK College of Agriculture
Food Systems Initiative, said kohlrabi is a little sweeter and
less pungent than a turnip. It can be peeled and sliced or
shredded. Some people toss raw kohlrabi in a green salad. Perry
also suggested sautéing it in butter and finishing it with
cream, or cream and a little cheese. It can also be made into a
dauphonise or gratin, like scalloped potatoes.
“For a gratin, peel and slice very thinly,” Perry recommended.
“Layer in a small buttered casserole. Mix heavy cream and salt
together, pour over kohlrabi and press with your hands to
distribute and level out veggies. The cream should taste salty
and be not quite enough to cover the kohlrabi but ooze over the
top when you press down. Bake covered for 30 minutes, then
uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes in a 375 degree oven. Top with
cheese and allow to melt. Enjoy.”
Swiss chard gives you quite a lot of bang for your buck. Not
only is it an attractive plant, with its large fanlike leaves
and often-colorful, edible stems, it is a real nutritional
powerhouse, according to Walters. A member of the beet family,
chard is bred for its leaves, rather than its root. Some people
compare its taste to spinach, while others think it displays a
mixture of tastes similar to broccoli and mild radishes.
A serving of cooked Swiss chard (two cups of raw, chopped Swiss
chard before cooking) provides 90 percent of the RDI of vitamin
A and 35 percent of vitamin C, again based on a 2,000 calorie
diet.
“This is a nutrition bargain, since it would only provide 15
calories,” Walters said. “Vitamin A is important for maintaining
healthy eyes and skin and for disease resistance.”
In addition, Swiss chard is very high in vitamin K, she said,
which is required for the coagulation of blood.
While the leaves of chard can be steamed like spinach or kale,
Perry has an easy recommendation for using both stems and
leaves. Strip the leaves from the stems, then slice the stems
the same as celery. They can be sautéed in olive oil or butter,
or blanched, which means to dunk them into boiling, salted water
for a couple of minutes and then immediately dunk them into ice
water to stop the cooking process.
Repeat the previous step with the chopped leaves. Drain both the
stems and the leaves. Put all the stems in the bottom of a small
casserole dish.
“What’s really good is if you have a little left-over
something,” he said, “like roasted or grilled pork or chicken.
You can slice or shred it and place it on top of the stems.”
Next, make a basic white sauce with melted butter, flour, nutmeg
and milk. Taking the drained, chopped leaves, mix with a little
of the white sauce, and spread over the top of the stems. Finish
it off by sprinkling cheese over the top. Either parmesan,
asiago or gruyère cheese would work. Bake uncovered for 30
minutes at 350 degrees.
For more fresh produce preparation ideas, contact a local
Cooperative Extension office. |
Contact: Jackie Walters, 859-257-2948
Bob Perry, 859-257-8890
|
|
The UK College
of Agriculture, through its land-grant mission, reaches across
the commonwealth with teaching, research and extension
to enhance the lives of Kentuckians. |
Questions/Comments,
e-mail the
webmaster
Copyright © 2001-2006 University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture,
Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service |
News Home
Other Headlines This Week
More
News
RSS Now Available
for those
using news aggregation programs
College News
|
