Turnips
This radish-like cousin has been found all across Europe and Asia for centuries. It's a root vegetable which stores well, and both the root (the turnip itself) and the greens can be consumed. Turnips can be peeled before cooking, eaten raw or diced. When cooking this root vegetable, be sure to serve it al dente; avoid overcooking as its sweetness will diminish. Studies have suggested that turnips can help prevent gallbladder cancer, and they are a good source of Vitamin C.
Turnip Recipes in this Section:
Braised Turnips with Mustard Sauce
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb turnips, small ones quartered and large ones cut into eighths
salt and pepper
1/2 cup vegetable stock
2 Tbsp whole grain mustard
1 tsp arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)
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Heat olive oil over medium heat in a medium skillet. Add turnips, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and brown, stirring frequently, for about 10 min. Pour in veggie stock, cover, reduce heat to low, and let simmer for 10-15 min, until turnips are tender. Remove turnips, leaving liquid in the pan, and set aside. Stir mustard and arrowroot powder together, and then add this to the remaining liquid in the pan. Let this cook over low heat until it thickens (2-3 min), and then pour over turnips. Serves 2.
Turnip and Roasted Garlic Puree
1 very large or a few smaller turnips, diced to 1/2 inch cubes
1-2 tbs. olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1 head garlic
a few tablespoons water or stock
Roast the turnips: Place diced turnip on a foil-line baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, stir to coat, and roast at 400 degrees until tender and beginning to brown, 30min. - 1hr., depending on your oven.
Meanwhile, roast the garlic: slice the top off of one head of garlic. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt, then wrap completely in foil and place in the oven along with the turnips until cloves are soft and mushy.
To make puree, place roasted turnips in the bowl of a food processor. Squeeze the head of garlic to extract the soft flesh, and add to the turnips. Puree until smooth, drizzling some stock or water into the whirling puree to achieve the proper consistency. Season to taste and serve. Pairs wells with a perfectly roasted piece of chicken or turkey.
Indian Spiced Turnips
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely chopped, then ground to a paste
1/2 teaspoon fresh garlic, finely chopped, then ground to a paste
2 fresh green chilies, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon whole mustard seeds
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 14 ounce can Muir Glen Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2/3 cup water
10 ounces fresh turnips, peeled and diced (2 cups or so)
1/2 teaspoon brown or raw sugar
salt to taste
1/2 cup firmly packed fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
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Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot and fry the onions until they are golden. Add the ginger and garlic paste, the chilies and the fresh mustard seeds and keep cooking and stirring, until the mustard seeds pop and the onions are dark reddish brown.
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Sprinkle the ground cumin and coriander over the onions, and stir and fry for another thirty seconds, or until the fragrance of these spices is released. Pour in the tomatoes, the turmeric and water, and stir to thoroughly combine.
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Add the turnips, and cover. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer, and cook until the turnips are softened, but are not falling apart. (You may need to add water if it all simmers away before your turnips are done–it depends on the age of your turnips. Older, woodier roots take longer to cook than the younger, fresh crisp ones.) Sprinkle with the sugar and add salt to taste. Stir in the cilantro and serve immediately.