History
Basic Preparation
Roasted Turnips in Wine
Grated Turnip and Apple Salad
Sautéed Turnips with Spinach and Raisins
See also:
Hearty Rutabaga, Turnip, and Carrot Soup
on the Rutabaga page
Root Vegetable Gratin on the Rutabaga page
History
No one would suspect that turnips are the same vegetable once ranked, by whole
nations, too low for edible consideration. Even hungry New Englanders disdained
them as plebeian, though they ate them to prevent scurvy, preferably with
mutton. Early New Yorkers ate them in a Dutch combo: boiled and mashed with
potatoes and smeared with butter. The Pennsylvania Dutch often made coleslaw
with turnips instead of cabbage, a concept similar to turnip kraut, a variation
on cabbage sauerkraut. The Scottish actually ate turnips willingly with their
haggis (which they also ate willingly), but they referred to them by the rather
pugnacious name "bashed neeps." (Turnips were originally called "neeps,"
from the Latin word for turnip, napus, which also gave rise to the French word
navet. The prefix turn refers to their spherical shape.)
From
“Turnips” by Jeannette Ferrary and Louise Fiszer at www.sallys-place.com/food/columns/ferray_fiszer/turnips.htm
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Basic
Preparation
Scrub turnips
with a vegetable brush before cooking. Then trim the leaf end and slice off the
root end. Larger turnips should be peeled, but baby turnips—those less than 2
inches (5cm) in diameter—can be cooked without peeling. Thinly sliced turnips
have a crisp texture, and can be consumed raw. They make a good addition to
platters of raw vegetables and dip, while diced turnip lends a hearty flavor to
soups. They are very
low in calories and a fair source of vitamin C.
(And don’t forget to cook up the turnip greens!
See Cooking Greens.)
To
boil
Cut turnips into chunks and boil until they are tender, about 6 to 10 minutes.
Whole turnips take about 30 minutes to cook.
To
roast
Use either whole, unpeeled baby turnips or larger ones, peeled and cut into
wedges. Then toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and place them on a baking
sheet in a single layer. Roast at 375°F (190°C) until they are tender, about
35 to 45 minutes.
To
microwave
Place turnip cubes, with a few tablespoons of water or stock in a covered
microwave-safe casserole and cook on High for about 3 minutes. Then let stand
for about 3 minutes before serving.
Good
flavors for seasoning turnips include lemon juice or vinegar, nutmeg, garlic,
cheeses, thyme, curry powder, chives, oregano, marjoram, parsley, and chervil.
Adapted
from GNC’s (www.gnc.com) food guide.
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Roasted
Turnips in Wine
3-4
cups peeled and cubed turnips
2 cups red wine
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup butter
Place
turnips in saucepan; add remaining ingredients and enough water to barely cover.
(You may also add other root vegetables like carrots, kohlrabi,
rutabagas, or parsnips.) Simmer
until tender. Pour into baking dish and bake at 350 degrees 1/2 hour.
Serve with rice or chicken.
Serves
4.
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Grated
Turnip and Apple Salad
1
cup peeled and grated raw turnips
1 cup peeled and grated tart green apples
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
Juice of 1 large lemon
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Combine
everything, toss, cover, and chill.
Serves
4 to 6.
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Sautéed
Turnips with Spinach and Raisins
2
tablespoons olive oil
1 clove minced garlic
3 medium turnips, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1/2 cup raisins
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
10 ounces fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
Freshly ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper
In a sauté pan,
heat the oil with the garlic. Add the turnip and raisins and cook for about 1
minute. Add the lemon juice; cover and cook for 3 more minutes. Stir in the
spinach and cook just until wilted. Sprinkle with nutmeg and salt and pepper to
taste.
From International Vegetarian Union, www.ivu.org/recipes.
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