Turnips
About Turnips - Brassica rapa
The Latin name brassica derives from the Celtic bresic; rapa was the Latin name for the turnip. Our English word turnip derives from the Middle English name for the plant, nepe or naep, which when combined with the Anglo-Saxon word turn, meaning “to make round,” became turnaep and then turnip.
The turnip is reported 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. The Virginia colonists must have brought seeds with them; turnips are said to have grown there in 1609. The Indians 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 out their full flavor.
The turnip is a member of the cabbage family and has round or top-shaped roots, white skin with purplish or greenish crowns, and thin, green, hairy leaves. Since it flourishes in poor and impoverished soils and keeps well, this rustic vegetable has endeared itself to the poor and given some cause to scorn it. The turnip is often confused with its cousin the rutabaga, but the turnip is smaller and more perishable. It can also be eaten raw and is most frequently harvested with its tops. Turnips and rutabagas do taste somewhat similar however, and in many recipes are interchangeable. Raw turnips are refreshing and tangy, similar to mild radish, and when cooked become pleasantly sweet, although turnips grown during the hot summer months are decidedly pungent but mellow somewhat with cooking.
Storage
Store turnips unwashed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for one to two weeks. Store turnip greens separately, wrapped in a damp towel or in a plastic bag in the hydrator drawer of the refrigerator. Use greens as soon as possible. For longer term storage, turnips may be packed in moist sand and kept in a cool but not freezing location. Turnips may also be frozen in chunks for use in stews and soups. Blanch the chunks for two to three minutes, rinse under cold water and drain thoroughly before packing into airtight freezer containers.
Preparation Tips
Scrub turnips with a stiff vegetable brush. There is no need to peel them, simply trim away damaged areas. When fresh and young, turnips are wonderful used raw in salads. When cooked with other foods, turnips absorb flavors, making them succulent and rich. Use turnip greens as a cooking green; they are generally too bitter and tough to use in raw salads.
Try raw turnips cut into sticks for a vegetable platter with dip.
Grate into salads or slaws.
Boil whole turnips 15 to 20 minutes; 1 1/2-inch cubes or slices, 8 to 10 minutes.
Steamed turnips takes 5 minutes longer to cook than boiled.
Bake turnips for 30 to 45 minutes at 350 degrees F., basted with butter or oil, or bake along with other seasonal roots.
Sources: “Whole Foods Companion,” Dianne Onstad, 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 and are a very good source of dietary fiber, vitamin C and potassium and a good source of calcium. A large portion of the calories come from sugars.
(1 cup boiled, cubed turnips)
Calories 34
Total Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 25mg
Total Carbohydrate 8g
Dietary Fiber 3g
Sugars 5g
Protein 1g
Calcium 5% RDA
Vitamin B6 5% RDA
Vitamin C 30% RDA
Folate 4% RDA
Potassium 8% RDA
Manganese 6% RDA
Source: www.nutritiondata.com.