Turnips - Return To Your Roots!
The Latin name for turnip is Brassica rapa. Our English word “turnip” comes from the Middle English name for the plant, nepe or naep, and the Anglo-Saxon word turn, meaning “to make round.”
The turnip is thought to have come from Russia, Siberia and the Scandinavian peninsula. Introduced into the New World by Jacques Cartier when he visited Canada in 1540, the vegetable flourished there and quickly spread southward. Virginia colonists grew them in 1609. Native Americans took to them at once, for they were superior to the wild roots they had been eating. Indian women baked or roasted them whole in their skins, a method that brought our their full flavor.
This member of the cabbage family has round or top-shaped roots, white skin with purplish or greenish crowns, and thin, green, hairy leaves. Since it flourishes in poor soil and keeps well, this rustic vegetable has endeared itself to the poor and given some cause to scorn it. Often confused with its cousin the rutabaga, the turnip is smaller and more perishable; it can also be eaten raw.
The two do taste somewhat similar, and in many recipes are interchangeable.
Raw turnips have a refreshing, tangy flavor similar to mild radish and when cooked are pleasantly sweet. When fresh and young, turnips can be used raw in salads. When cooked with other foods, they have the remarkable ability to absorb flavors, making them succulent and rich. Turnips greens can be cooked in the same manner as spinach, slivered and stir-fried, or, as they have been for generations, stewed with pork. They do not make good salad greens, as they are much too bitter and tough. Do not cook in aluminum or iron pans, as these will cause discoloration.
Storage
Separate turnips from greens. Store turnips in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for one to two weeks. Store the greens in a plastic bag in hydrator drawer of refrigerator and use as soon as possible.
Turnips can also be frozen. Cut into small pieces and blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes. Plunge into ice water, then drain well and seal in an air-tight freezer container or zip-lock freezer bag.
Preparation Tips
Scrub well and peel, if desired. (May also be used unpeeled.)
Slice or cut raw into sticks and add to a veggie platter with dip.
Grate raw into salads or slaws.
Boil or steam 1/2 to 1-inch slices or cubes (8-10 minutes if boiling or 12-15 minutes if steaming).
Bake turnips for 30-45 minutes at 350 degrees F. Season with butter and favorite herbs.
Dice or cube turnips into hearty soups or stews.
Slice into sticks and make fries!
Mash or scallop with potatoes or on their own.
Sources: “Whole Foods Companion,” by Dianne Ostad, 2004 and “From Asparagus to Zucchini, A Guide to Farm-Fresh Seasonal Produce, Madison Area CSA Coalition, 2003.
Nutrition Facts
Turnips are very low in saturated fat and cholesterol. They are also a good source of Vitamin B6, calcium and manganese, and a very good source of dietary fiber, vitamin C, and potassium. A large portion of the calories come from sugar.
(1 cup cubed cooked turnips)
Calories 34
Total Fat 1g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 25mg
Total Carbohydrate 8g
Dietary Fiber 3g
Sugars 5g
Protein 1g
Calcium 5% RDA
Potassium 8& RDA
Magnesium 4% RDA
Vitamin C 30% RDA
Source: www.nutritiondata.com.