Kohlrabi and Carrot Salad with Harissa

The Fairmount Neighborhood Farmers Market will be held rain or shine this Sunday. You can expect to find:

• apples: Gravenstein, Sansa, Akane
• tomatoes: heirlooms and San Marzano romas
• cucumbers, zucchini, eggplants, peppers, string beans
• root vegetables including beets, carrots, turnips, potatoes, and kohlrabi
• butter crunch leaf lettuce, curly kale, basil 
• onions, leeks, scallions, garlic
• eggs, honey, pickles
• fresh and smoked salmon
• locally grown dried beans and grains

If you haven't tried it before, raw kohlrabi is a treat. Once you get over the thrill of owning a pet Martian and bring yourself to peel away its knobby exterior, you'll uncover a crunchy white root with a distinctive, subtle flavor. Here I paired kohlrabi with its carrot cousin in a simplified version of this spicy carrot salad, streamlined by the fact that it is now possible to find harissa in town (at Market of Choice).

Kohlrabi and Carrot Salad with Harissa

1 medium sized kohlrabi

2 carrots

juice from 1 large lemon

~10 mint leaves

2 ounces feta cheese

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 teaspoon harissa, or to taste

1. With a paring knife, generously peel away the rough skin of the kohlrabi, cutting away any woody bits. Slice the remaining white root into thin slices and cut into matchsticks (or use a mandolin to julienne). Toss in the lemon juice to prevent the kohlrabi from discoloring. Scrub or peel the carrots and cut into similarly sized matchsticks. 

2. Toss the kohlrabi and carrots with olive oil and harissa. Sliver the mint leaves, dice up the feta, and stirs into the salad. Taste and add more harissa or salt as desired. Enjoy.