Make the most of Turnips

Turnips are a root vegetable with a slightly sweet, and peppery

flavor. They have a crisp, juicy texture, and both the bulbous

stem and the leaves are edible. Turnips can be enjoyed raw in

salads and slaws, pickled or cooked in various ways, including

mashing and roasting.

 

Raw preparations:

 

Simply grate turnips and use with any combo of green or red cabbage, shredded carrots,

shredded turnips and eat as a ‘slaw’. Dress with a creamy Coleslaw dressing or something lighter such as a white wine vinaigrette. Larger turnips can be cut into ‘matchsticks’ (Julienne cut). Add-ins: golden raisins, chopped Cilantro.

 

You can also slice turnips very thinly - using a Mandoline slicer - with radishes and fennel and

combine with red radicchio, endive or escarole lettuces. Dress with a red wine, honey, garlic and lemon juice based vinaigrette. Add-ins: you can add a bit of grated horseradish to the dressing. Don’t forget to add thinly sliced or Julienne cut turnips to a salad!

 

Roasted:

 

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Peel and cut the turnips (and perhaps some carrots, parsnips,

sweet potatoes, Kohlrabi or beets) into 1-inch chunks. Toss with just enough olive oil to coat

lightly. Season with salt and pepper. Toss again. Roast on a rimmed baking sheet for about 30 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and toss the chunks around and test ‘doneness’ with a sharp paring knife. Return to oven for about15 minutes more until vegetables are caramelized and al dente.

 

Steamed:

 

Steaming is easy and relatively fast. Cut the turnips (and maybe some carrots?) into bite-sized pieces. Remember that smaller pieces will cook faster than larger. Put them into the steamer basket over at least one inch of water. Bring water to a boil and then reduce heat to medium. Start checking the vegetables after a few minutes. They’re ‘done’ when tender as you like ‘em. Remove from heat and toss with a bit of olive oil, butter, salt and a squeeze of lemon.

 

Braised:

 

Put bite-sized pieces of turnips (and maybe carrots, radishes, kohlrabi?) into a pan with just

barely enough chicken stock to almost cover them, a couple tablespoons of butter, salt and

pepper. You might also add a bit of white wine. French Tarragon and Thyme are great additions. Bring to a boil then immediately reduce the heat until it’s just simmering. Cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Add a bit more butter and the herbs. Swirl. Serve warm.

 

Mashed:

 

Nothing fancy here. Cut turnips into chunks and boil ‘em in water or a flavorful broth. Drain.

Mash as a lower carb alternative to potatoes. They can be combined with potatoes and even

Rutabagas.

 

Glazed:

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Cut the turnips into bite-sized pieces (feel free to add other root veg here!) and place them into a pan with water, some butter and seasonings (honey, maple syrup, apple cider, French Tarragon, Thyme) ... but just barely! covering the vegetables. Bring to a boil and then simmer until the liquid has reduced to a glaze. If the vegetables are done before the liquid has sufficiently reduced, remove the vegetables to a bowl and turn up the heat on the liquid until it’s reduced. Turn off the heat and add the reserved vegetables back in and stir.

 

Pickled:

 

Make your pickling liquid using the following ratio as a guide: per one cup of vinegar, add a half cup of water, a quarter cup of sugar and about 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer just to dissolve the sugar. Remove the liquid and let it cool. Add the thinly sliced or julienne cut (‘matchsticks’) turnips to the liquid. Let it ‘stand’ in a covered container or Mason jar overnight. This also works for radishes and carrots.

 

Turnip tops!

 

Don’t forget to use those tops!

Young, small and tender tops are great for soups, stews and salads.

Larger, more mature tops make incredible pesto or braised in flavorful broth and served as a side dish.

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