Roast Chicken and Kohlrabi Fritters

Kohlrabi?  Really?  I'd never heard of Kohlrabi until I had been in the Army for several years.  It just wasn't part of the small town Southern foodway with which I was familiar.  Even after learning what it was and how to inspect it we still didn't eat it since we didn't know what to do with it.  A friend grew some in his garden this past Spring and that got me thinking about it.  We were at the nursery to buy cole crop sets for the Fall garden when I came across some Kohlrabi.  The 4 experimental Kohlrabi were harvested last week and two of them were cooked for supper last night.

Kohlrabi is related to cabbage.  Instead of forming a head the base of the stalk swells to a globe shape.  They are best harvested when the globe is 3 - 4 inches in diameter.  The leaves and stalks can also be eaten and can be prepared like you would cabbage or collard greens.  The globe can be eaten raw, steamed, stir fried, and roasted.  Basically you can use it like you would use any root vegetable.

Roast chicken from what I hear seems to be one of those things that people are hesitant to try.  Good roast chicken is a wondrous thing but the great fear is plating up a dried out chicken for family and friends.  Now, with every grocery store and big box store having grab and go rotisserie chicken there is even less incentive to roast one at home.  The downside of this is lesser quality in exchange for convenience.  I'm here to tell you that roast chicken can be done in an hour with excellent results.  Moreover, you can get that excellent result with minimal ingredients.

Browned and ready for the oven

As with all dishes, getting a good bird to start with will let you end with a great product.  You can go the free range organic route if you so choose but to my mind it is not necessary.  Just don't get some brand nobody ever heard of.  Give the bird a good look and make sure it is well fleshed and the skin is white or white with a slightly yellow cast.  I can't prove it, but I believe you'll end up with a better result if you use a fresh chicken rather than a previously frozen bird.

Roast Chicken

1 whole chicken
salt
pepper
4 Tbs oil
1 large white onion
4 cloves garlic

Dry the chicken inside and out.  Let the chicken come to room temperature, about 30 minutes.  Liberally season both inside and outside with salt and pepper being sure to rub them into the skin.  Cut the onion in half and slice each half into 1/4 inch slices and separate.  Slice the garlic cloves and add to the onion.  Preheat the oven to 425 F.  Put 2 Tbs oil in a cast iron, preferably, skillet and get hot.  Place the chicken in the skillet back down and brown for a few minutes.  When it is browned to your liking, turn the chicken to one side and brown.  Do the same for the other side and then the breast.  Once the chicken is browned on all sides remove it from the skillet.  Add oil to the skillet if necessary and add the onion and garlic.  Stir them around and start to sweat them.  Put the chicken on top of the onion and garlic breast side up and put in the 425 F oven.  Check the temperature in the thigh after 35 minutes.  Once the thigh reads 168 F remove the chicken from the oven and let rest for at least 10 minutes.  Cut into the desired serving size and enjoy.  The onions and pan drippings can be used to cover the chicken when plated or they can serve as the base for a good gravy.

Hot from the oven

Kohlrabi Fritters

2 Kohlrabi
1 egg
1/4 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese 
1/4 - 1/3 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
oil

Peel and shred the Kohlrabi with the box grater into a mixing bowl.  Add the egg, flour, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper and stir to combine.  Cover the bottom of a skillet with oil and get it hot.  Put spoonfuls of the fritter mixture in the skillet and flatten slightly.  Cook till brown, about 3 minutes, and flip.  When that side is brown remove the fritter to a cooling rack to drain any excess oil.  Repeat until all the fritters are done.  This fed my good wife and me.

A Kohlrabi and a bowl of shredded Kohlrabi

Kohlrabi fritters ready to eat

Both of these were part of an excellent supper that only took about an hour.  A side benefit of roasting a chicken this way is that there is time to flour and fry up the heart, liver, and gizzard to eat as appetizers.  Remember, don't forget to eat the organ meats.

Roast chicken, Kohlrabi fritters, and boiled okra

Give these two recipes a try and let me know what you think.  The fritters made me glad we bought 6 more sets for the garden.  Try some unusual vegetables and see what you think.  Google is your friend when trying to find how to use them. 

Uncle T