Back to School with Kohlrabi & Radish Salad from The Whelk and Westport Farmers’ Market

It might be back-to-school season, but it’s still summer at the Westport Farmers’ Market. Thirty vendors plus guests, including many favorites and a few new faces, brave every sort of weather each week to bring us the very best in fresh vegetables, cheese, meat, fruit and berries, coffee, tea, pasta, pet food, flowers, prepared foods, and artisan crafts. Before saying so-long to the kids for the season, stop by the market to stock up on fresh ingredients for hearty breakfasts and healthful lunches. Anthony Kostelis of The Whelk, offers this refreshing salad to pack in the kiddo’s box or serve at dinner.

Kohlrabi & Radish with Goat Feta, Butter & Burnt Bread 

2 medium size kohlrabi

6-8 radishes, different varieties make it more interesting

15 sprigs mint

2 Tbsp. white balsamic

1 lemon, zest & juice

5 Tbsp. olive oil

Sea salt

Black pepper

¼ pound goat feta

2 Tbsp. room temp butter

1/2 cup burnt breadcrumbs

Peel kohlrabi and quarter. Slice into 1/4-inch thick pieces.  Cut the radish in a similar size.  Toss kohlrabi, radish, mint, vinegar, lemon zest, lemon juice, oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl.  On serving plate (or to-go container), spread butter in a circular pattern. Layer your salad over the butter. Slice/crumble the feta over the salad and then dust the salad with the burnt breadcrumbs.

For the breadcrumbs 

4 slices sourdough bread

5 lemons, zest

4 Tbsp. dried ao seaweed

4 Tbsp. ground sumac

Kosher salt and pepper

I use sourdough for mine but any lighter color bread will work. Heat a skillet on high heat with canola oil.  Place in sliced sourdough and burn.  You want some black spots but not to the point where it is completely burnt and almost ashy.  Let bread come down to room temperature and dry.

Crumble bread into a food processor and pulse until pretty finely ground. You want it to look like large cracked pepper, more or less. Empty into a bowl and season with salt, zest of 5 lemons, dried ao seaweed, and ground sumac.  The result should be slightly bitter, but very savory and slightly acidic. 

In addition to sampling and shopping, there’s plenty for kids to do at the market: Growing Green, the market’s children’s activity, is sponsored this week by Whole Foods Westport. Mal’s Music will play and our featured chef is Michael Hazen of Pearl. Come early for a demonstration by the 2016 recipient of Open Table’s prestigious Diner’s Choice award. The chef demo begins at 10:15. 

Finally this week’s not-for-profit is the American Liver Foundation. Please stop by their booth to support their efforts to facilitate, advocate and promote education, support and research for the prevention, treatment and cure of liver disease.