This traditional Hungarian dish features tender bulbs of kohlrabi stuffed with a flavorful pork and rice filling, and served alongside a kohlrabi soup made with the leftover scraps and greens.
Yield: 4 servings
Cook Time: 45 minutesminutes
Total Time: 1 hourhour30 minutesminutes
Ingredients
4medium kohlrabi, with greens (about 2.5lbs/1kg)
1tablespoonvegetable oil
1large onion, diced (about ¾ cup diced)
1large garlic clove, finely minced
⅓cup/ 60gBasmati rice
4cups/ 960gchicken stock, divided
½pound/ 226gground pork
2tablespoonsfresh parsley, chopped
½teaspoondried thyme or summer savory
¼teaspoonsweet paprika
½cup/ 120gsour cream
1teaspooncornstarch
1teaspoonsugar, to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Trim off the kohlrabi greens and stems and set aside. Trim off any bits of tough outer skin, if necessary (younger kohlrabis have a thinner skin that doesn't need to be cut off). Cut the root base off the bottom of kohlrabi bulbs to allow them to sit flat on your cutting surface, and about 1/3 of the top off as well. Hollow out the middles using a melon baller, leaving the sides about 1/2-inch thick and the bottom slightly thicker.
Coarsely chop greens; you should have about 3 to 4 cups of loosely packed greens. Set these aside along with all the innards from the hollowed-out kohlrabi bulbs.
Heat oil in a large, heavy bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and let soften for 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and rice and stir until rice is translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Add 1/2 cup chicken broth and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is mostly absorbed. Add another 1/2 cup broth and cook until absorbed and rice is just short of al dente. This will take about 10 minutes.
Transfer partially-cooked rice to a bowl and let cool for a few minutes, then add ground pork, along with parsley, thyme, paprika, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Gently stir, or use to your hands if desired, to mix until rice and pork are evenly distributed.
Stuff hollowed-out kohlrabi bulbs with pork and rice mixture. They can mound slightly on top, though the filling will expand a bit as it cooks so you don't want to pack it in too tightly.
Return Dutch oven to medium heat. Arrange greens and leftover pulp in the bottom of the pan. Nestle the stuffed kohlrabis into the greens, pouring the remaining 3 cups chicken broth around them.
Bring liquid to a gentle simmer; cover and cook for 30 to 45 minutes or until the kohlrabis are fork tender and the filling in the largest kohlrabi registers 165 degrees F on an instant read thermometer.
Using tongs and/or a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked kohlrabis to a lightly oiled plate and set aside.
Transfer the remaining contents of the pot, including all greens and remaining pulp, into a blender (be very cautious working with hot liquids like this). Add sour cream and cornstarch and blend until smooth.
Return to Dutch oven and medium heat and bring to a simmer until thickened. Taste, then season as desired with sugar, plus salt and pepper and even a squeeze of lemon juice if you like.
To serve, ladle the soup into serving bowls, and place the stuffed kohlrabis in the center. Serve warm, with additional sour cream and a sprinkle of fresh parsley as desired.