Soups are rarely missing from a Slovak table, no matter what time of year it is. Sometimes they are clear meat or vegetable stocks with pasta added towards the end of cooking. These are usually served as starters or appetizers. At other times, they can be filling enough to stand as the main course, like this Creamy Bean Soup, especially when eaten with slices of homemade bread or yeasted rolls.

Although kohlrabi is very common in the Slovak diet, it is rarely used as the soup’s main ingredient. We usually add it to stocks alongside other vegetables like carrot, parsley root and celery root. Or we simply eat kohlrabi raw. Peeled and diced, with bread and butter, it makes for a nutritious snack or supper. Grated kohlrabi is good in salads.

In the soup below kohlrabi is the star. Whether you grow it in your garden or buy in a market, pick smaller bulbs as the big ones tend to be woody and less juicy.

Creamy Kohlrabi Soup

Serves 4

• 4 small kohlrabi
• 1 small onion
• 2 medium-size potatoes
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 800 ml water
• 200 ml cooking cream (12% fat in Slovakia)
• a pinch of ground nutmeg
• salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Peel the vegetables and wash them under running water. Dice the kohlrabi, leaving half a bulb intact for later use (see step 3). Chop the onion and dice the potatoes. Pour the oil in a cooking pot and place over medium heat. Throw in the onion and toast, stirring now and then, until the onion starts browning on the edges. Add the kohlrabi, the potatoes and toast for a few more minutes. Pour in the water, add the seasoning, cover with a lid and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
2. Use a stick blender to purée the soup directly in the cooking pot. Add the cream, stir well and bring to the boil. Set aside but cover with a lid to keep warm.
3. Roughly grate the saved kohlrabi into a small bowl. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the grated kohlrabi, increase the heat to medium-high and toast for about 5 minutes, stirring often. When the kohlrabi starts turning brown on the edges, turn off the heat.
4. Divide the soup into bowls and place a spoonful or two of the toasted kohlrabi in the middle. Serve immediately.

The soup and the kohlrabi can be reheated, so store the leftovers in the fridge if you have any.