The Sexy Spring Veggie You Haven't Discovered yet -- but Will Love
By Zester Daily Staff
Most people -- even veggie lovers -- don't think "sexy" or "spring" when they think of turnips. But the classic root vegetable is tender in spring and lends itself to some sultry and savory dishes you may end up turning to regularly.
Related: Tips on cooking produce from your own garden.
Until I began living in France in the early 1980s, writes Martha Rose Shulman, I thought a turnip was a big, round, woody vegetable that you could throw into a soup, but that was about it. Then I tasted tender, sweet little spring turnips, turned so they looked like little torpedoes and sauteed in butter. I thought I was eating a vegetable I'd never seen before. It was April, and every other farmer at my local Tuesday and Friday marche volant on the Boulevard Raspail had generous bunches for sale.
Now we have farmers markets in the United States that are every bit as good as any Paris street market, so if you aren't a kitchen gardener who grows wonderful root vegetables through the winter you can still find them grown by local farmers and harvested besting their prime in early spring. I like to show them off in simple top-of-the-stove dishes and in oven-baked gratins.
One of the best things about certain root vegetables, such as turnips and beets, is that you get two distinct produce items for the price of one. You can use the greens and bulbs in the same dish, as in the recipes that follow, or you can keep them separate and make two different dishes. When you buy leeks you may feel as if you're paying for a good deal you can't use, since the dark, tough top parts are usually discarded. But those woody tops can be used to make vegetable stock. Simmer them before you throw them out. And don't neglect these sweet root vegetables in early spring, just because asparagus and ramps have hit the market.
Contributing: Martha Rose Shulman
Related: Three more turnip recipes fancy enough to serve at a holiday dinner.
The turnip is not a sexy vegetable. While plump, multihued tomatoes draw the eye and bright green snap peas beckon, the white knobby turnip lacks an aesthetic quality. Even the name evokes a tragic Russian novel, a pot of thin soup and a piece of stale bread. (It's no coincidence that the turnip is a staple in England and Northern Europe.)
I might have gone right on ignoring this root vegetable had I not overheard a farmer trumpet the glory of turnips at my local farmers market. He was so convincing that I walked away with two bunches and a recipe idea.
Turnips may look boring (and tasteless, and generally unappealing) but steam them for eight minutes and add a pinch of two of good salt, a cracking of fresh pepper and the love affair just might begin. They have a nice refreshing bite, similar to a radish, and an earthy-sweet flavor reminiscent of fresh horseradish. While I savored them on their own, I couldn't help but imagine a dish of braised short ribs or slow-cooked pork shoulder alongside. The acidic bite of a turnip is a perfect contrast to stewed meat.
Related: Root veggies are good for baking too.
I tried two varieties, the standard turnip and the smaller Tokyo turnip, an heirloom variety. The large standard turnip is white with a pinkish-purplish color at the top, and the Tokyo is a small white turnip that resembles a radish. The smaller variety offers a great raw crunch in salads.
The French lamb and turnip stew Navarin is a classic dish that highlights this humble veggie. And like most root veggies, if you smother them with cream and cheese you've got a tasty gratin. Steam and smash them and add any flavoring: butter, horseradish, or even a handful of crispy bacon bits.
A few tips for your first turnip purchase:
Choose hard turnips with bright green tops.
Scrub and peel large turnips before you cook them.
The Tokyo turnip doesn't need to be peeled; just scrub with a vegetable brush.
Don't confuse turnips with yellow turnips, which are actually rutabagas.
Turnips are available year-round but their peak season is October through March.
Large turnips will last up to two weeks in the refrigerator, but use the smaller ones within two days.
Contributing: Laura Holmes Haddad
Mashed Potatoes and Turnips With Horseradish
Serves 8 to 10
Until you are committed to the flavor of turnips (or are trying to convince someone else), combining them with potatoes is a good place to start. The addition of fresh horseradish boosts the turnip flavor. This would be the perfect side dish to a prime rib dinner.
Ingredients
2 pounds yellow-fleshed potatoes, such as Yukon gold
1¼ pounds turnips
2 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
¾ cup whole milk
2 tablespoons drained bottled horseradish, patted dry between paper towels
½ cup thinly sliced scallions (green parts only)
freshly ground black pepper
Directions
1. Peel potatoes and turnips and then cut them into 2-inch pieces.
2. Cover potatoes, turnips and 2 teaspoons salt with 2 inches of cold water in a large pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until potatoes are tender, about 16 minutes.
3. Drain vegetables in a colander, then return to pot and mash.
4. Stir in the milk, butter, horseradish and scallions over low heat until combined well and heated through.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.
Turnip equivalents:
Six 3-inch turnips = 1 pound
1 pound = 4 cups, chopped
2 turnips = 1 serving
* * *
Baby Turnip Ragout With Leeks and Turnip Greens
Serves 4
This is a springtime dish, to make when the first tender young leeks and turnips hit the farmers markets. The leeks and onions provide a sweet backdrop for the pungent-sweet turnips and bitter greens. It's hearty enough to be a main dish if you serve it with couscous, grains or pasta.
Ingredients
2 medium leeks, white and light green parts only, cleaned and sliced, dark green leaves washed and set aside
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large red or white sweet onion, chopped
1 small head green garlic, or 2 to 4 garlic cloves (to taste), minced
1 large or 2 smaller bunches baby turnips with greens, turnips peeled and cut into wedges and greens stemmed washed well and chopped
Freshly ground pepper to taste
3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, such as tarragon, flat-leaf parsley, chives, or chervil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Directions
1. Place the leek greens in a large pot and add 2 quarts water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat, partially cover and simmer while you prepare the remaining vegetables, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain through a strainer set over a bowl.
2. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large lidded skillet or a Dutch oven, then add the onion and sliced leeks. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes, then add a generous pinch of salt and the garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute, and add the turnips, 2½ cups of the leek stock (freeze what remains) and salt to taste, and bring to a simmer.
3. Cover partially, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes, or until the turnips are tender. Stir in the greens and simmer another 5 minutes. If the greens are quite tough, simmer a few minutes longer but don't simmer so long that they lose their bright color (or that the turnips become mushy). Add pepper and salt to taste.
4. Stir in the fresh herbs and butter, and when the butter has melted serve in wide bowls, over pasta, grains, or couscous if desired.
5. Advance preparation: This can be made up to the addition of the greens hours ahead of serving. Reheat, add the greens and proceed with the recipe close to serving time to preserve the bright green colors.
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