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If
fresh vegetable preparation specialists Parripak Foods Ltd have a
say in the matter, supermarket shelves up and down the country will
soon be groaning with products featuring the little-known vegetable Kohlrabi.
Kohlrabi
first came to prominence in 1554 and was once a favourite of
European nobles and peasants alike. It was also a particularly
popular vegetable in the UK both during and just after the Second
World War, but gradually fell from grace then disappeared from the
nation's shopping list altogether. Although Kohlrabi is part of the
same family as sprouts, broccoli and cabbage, its actually a
cultivar, but the characteristic swollen sputnik shape with a stout
base resembling a turnip with leaves growing from it, brands it as
the ugly sibling of the group.
Parripak's
Dominic Pleasance explained why they want to bring this unusual
vegetable back to the populace. "Consumers are much more
aware of the need for healthy eating. Not only does Kohlrabi have
cancer-fighting properties but it's also a nutritious vegetable that
is low in calories and high in dietary fibre and vitamins A and C.
It's excellent properties are also being re-discovered by top chefs
including Gordon Ramsey who uses it within dishes in his own restaurants."
Kohlrabi
is available in several varieties including White Vienna, Purple
Vienna and White Danube. It has a mild nutty crisp sweet flavour and
can be cooked or eaten raw. It is also a highly versatile vegetable
that can be mashed with potatoes, cut into julienne strips in
coleslaws and salads and the bulb can be roasted or boiled and added
to hot dishes such as stews, soups, and gratins.
For
the people of Hamburg Township, Michigan USA, the vegetable has
never lost its' popularity and they proudly titled themselves the
'Kohlrabi capital of the World' when a staggering 600 people attended
their Kohlrabi festival in 1985. Although Parripak isn't looking to
challenge the USA title, Pleasance is confident that they can put
Kohlrabi back into the UK consumer's shopping basket. "Although
it is still quite new to the UK, it is the biggest product produced
by one of our Italian growers. Without doubt Kohlrabi has excellent
processing opportunities, and we are determined to raise the
awareness of this unusual vegetable in the UK and return it to the
ranks of popularity it once enjoyed."
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