Finally! The turnip recipes….

Isn’t it lucky that turnips save? And that we will see them again in the autumn, so you will get a chance to use these recipes soon.

I’ll start out with a recipe I put in the blog last year, but since no one read it then, I can repeat it here (and since no one is reading the blog NOW, I can both admit to repeating it and repeat it again next year). This is simple: Peel your turnip and dice it. Dice some bacon and fry it up until starts to render its fat. Toss the turnip dice in the fat and fry until crispy and brown. If you want, add chopped onions (green or otherwise) about half way through the browning of the turnips. If you have tender greens, turnip or otherwise, toss them in about three-quarters of the way through the dicing. Salt and eat with a hearty meat (or pungent vegetable, if you are a vegetarian).

And from one CSA member (Kate’s comment – this will make a great fall dish as well, and luckily, you’ll have turnips in the fall): here's a great turnip recipe from Farm Journal's Country Cookbook of 1959! It is delicious!

TURNIP STEW: The Czechoslovakian way....

3 T butter
3 C diced cooked turnips
1/2 C whole kernel corn
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium apple, sliced
nutmeg
sour cream
horse-radish

+Melt butter, add turnips, corn, onion, apple and seasonings. Simmer until apple and onion are soft...about 15 minutes.
+Add sour cream, heat through; add horse-radish and service.

And another member sent in a whole pile of recipes, including some for beets, which might be a hint for next week’s delivery:

Turnip and Beet Recipes
(nabbed from Live Earth CSA’s website)

Honey-Peppered Turnips
from Greene on Greens
Serves 4 to 6

1 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tbsp. honey
1 lb. turnips, peeled, cut into 1/4" cubes
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Salt
Chopped fresh parsley

Melt the butter with the honey in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in the turnips and pepper. Cook, covered, until tender, about 12 minutes. Add salt to taste and sprinkle with parsley.


Miscellaneous turnip preparation ideas
<> Many cookbooks suggest they are good mashed like potatoes, or with potatoes. So pull out your favorite mashed potatoes recipe and make it with half turnips, half potatoes.

<> Try them raw! Slice or sliver them in salads or vegetable platters. Serve with a favorite dip.

<> Add turnips to stir-fries for a nice crunch and a perky flavor.

<> Bake 'em! Scrub and remove tops/tails from baby turnips and put in a baking pan with chunks of carrots, onions and potatoes, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees Funtil tender, about 45 minutes.

<> [from "The New Joy of Cooking"] Turnip greens are especially good cooked with other greens, like collards, in water flavored with salt pork or a ham bone. They are traditionally seasoned with sprinklings of oil, vinegar, hot sauce or ground red pepper, and sugar.


Simple Skillet Turnips and Apples
from the Rolling Prairie Cookbook
serves 4

1 tbsp. canola oil
1/2 C chopped onion
1 medium apple, copped (approx. 3/4C)
3 C chopped turnips (1/2" cubes)
1/2 C fresh apple cider or juice
1 small cinnamon stick
1/4 tsp. salt

Heat oil in a large skillet over med. heat. Add onion and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes. Add apple and sauté 2 more minutes. Add turnips and rest of ingredients. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Stir occasionally, and add more liquid if necessary to prevent sticking. Simmer until turnips are tender, approx. 20 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick before serving.



Roasted Root Vegetables scented with Apple and Mustard
from Your Organic Kitchen (modified slightly)
Serves 8 (but you could halve it to serve 4)

3 C apple cider or juice
1 C fruity white wine (like Gewürztraminer)
2 tbsp. smooth Dijon mustard
3 tbsp. butter
4 -5 lbs. root vegetables, cut into bite-sized pieces, both sweet (like carrots and chiogga beets) and savory (like turnips and potatoes)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a saucepan, reduce the cider/juice, wine, and mustard over high heat to 1 1/2 C. Whisk in the butter and pour over the vegetables, tossing to coat. Season with salt and pepper and place in a single layer in a large roasting pan in a preheated 375 degree oven. Roast for 1 hour or so, or until the vegetables are lightly browned and tender. Stir 3 or 4 times while roasting to promote even browning.

Grated Turnip (or Rutabaga) and Apple Salad
from Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant
serves 4 to 6

1 C peeled and grated raw turnips or rutabaga
1 C peeled and grated tart apples
½ C chopped fresh parsley
juice of one large lemon
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine everything, toss, cover, and chill.

Chilled Beet and Buttermilk Soup
serves 4 to 6 (can be increased/decreased proportionally without problem)
4 C chopped cooked beets*
1 C unsweetened apple juice [Billy Bob’s!]
2 C buttermilk
1 tbsp. minced fresh dill
¼ C minced scallions or chives
salt to taste
finely chopped cucumber (for garnish)
*about 4-5 medium beets, more if smaller.
In a blender or food processor, combine the beets, apple juice, and buttermilk and purée until smooth. Transfer to a bowl or storage container and stir in the dill and scallions or chives. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. Add salt to taste and serve topped with finely chopped cucumber.

Beet and Gorgonzola Potato Salad
6 to 8 medium thin-skinned potatoes (such as Yukon Gold or Yellow Finn)
4 medium to large beets
1/3 lb. gorgonzola or feta cheese
1 small red onion, fine dice

Dressing:
1/4 C olive oil
1/4 C red wine vinegar
1-2 tbsp. horseradish
Dried thyme to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

Roast potatoes and beets in oven at 425 degrees for 50-60 minutes (until soft when pierced). Let cool. Dice to bite size and mix with diced onion and cheese. Some people like to skin the beets (which you should only do after the roasting), which is quite messy, but has a nicer presentation. Prepare dressing, and toss. Can be served immediately, but flavors blend better if refrigerated overnight.