Panier Bio chose to showcase the chou-rave, which we call kohlrabi. It looks like a green turnip and tastes like cabbage.  French homemakers are probably as baffled by it as much as Americans. This recipe listed few ingredients but a fair amount of small motor skills.  The title: Mille feuille de chou-rave a la creme de roquefort. translates as ‘Thin slices of kohlrabi layered with creamy blue cheese ‘.

1. Begin by peeling and thinly slicing the kohlrabi.  (A turnip or small celery root also works.)

2. Cook slices in simmering water for 3-4 minutes, until they are al dente, almost soft.

Drain, cool slices in ice water, drain again and dry slices on toweling.  Refrigerate (up to 3 days).

3. When you are ready to serve, mash 4 ounces of blue cheese with 2 tablespoons of a ricotta or yogurt.  Scatter young arugula leaves on 4 plates and fan out 4 kohlrabi slices in a circle.  Spoon a tablespoon of  cheese over the parts of the layers that overlap leaving a small amount visible.  Grind on sea salt and pepper  Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and a decorative leaf of arugula.

I chose Tartine de Radis from the four simple recipes in the Le Companier leaflet. A tartine is an open-face French bread sandwich, and a radis, as you have already guessed, is a radish.

1. Trim and thinly slice 12 radishes.  (I peeled, seeded and thinly sliced a cucumber too.)

2. Toast or grill a length of baguette that has been sliced lengthwise and drizzled with olive oil.

3. Spread fresh ricotta on the warm bread and cover with overlapping layers of radish and cucumber slices.  (If this sounds like too much detail work,  finely chop the vegetables and scatter them on top.)  Grind on sea salt and pepper.  Drizzle on olive oil.

I hope you will try one or both recipes.  Please comment!