Need turnip ideas

porkpa · December 17, 2003

The first Union Square Cafe cookbook has a fantastic recipe for turnips. Its called "mashed yellow turnips with crispy shallots".It has become a staple at every family function dinner that I prepare. If I don't make it, I catch all sorts of hell. The only problem is that although its labeled as a turnip dish, the recipe calls for rutabagas instead of turnips. Nevertheless its great and easy to prepare. I usually substitute carmelized onions for the crispy shallots. It saves lots of time and money. USC usually has it on its menu as a side dish during the cold weather months.

Porkpa

fresco · December 17, 2003

The first Union Square Cafe cookbook has a fantastic recipe for turnips. Its called "mashed yellow turnips with crispy shallots".It has become a staple at every family function dinner that I prepare. If I don't make it, I catch all sorts of hell. The only problem is that although its labeled as a turnip dish, the recipe calls for rutabagas instead of turnips. Nevertheless its great and easy to prepare. I usually substitute carmelized onions for the crispy shallots. It saves lots of time and money. USC usually has it on its menu as a side dish during the cold weather months.
Porkpa

Good point. True turnips (the little ones with white flesh) are actually fairly delicate, compared with rutabagas. Is it actually rutabagas that have been discussed so far?

Mabelline · December 17, 2003

I like turnips,but agree there are good and bad ways to eat them. What I like is that kind of radishy undertone in them. Some are really quite peppery, and this may really freak the turnip haters, but they make a good crudite. Apples and turnips sliced and roasted together are good. Use wine, a good vinegar, or stock, some good herbs for seasons and braise. Yum.

Huevos del Toro · December 17, 2003

MASHED POTATO, RUTABAGA AND PARSNIP CASSEROLE WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS

Bon Appétit

November 1994

I also used turnips in this dish and loved it. Simple yet tasty.

Jinmyo · December 17, 2003

Sure, tatties n neeps with much cream and butter. A bit of roquefort is nice as wel.

Roasted diced turnips mixed into a barley and mushroom "risotto" is nice as well.

But what I really like are turnips roasted together with parsnips, several kinds of potatoes, rutabaga, and celery root.

Edited December 17, 2003 by Jinmyo (log)

Pan · December 17, 2003

Yeah, I hate turnips too, and these are pretty tasty.

The thing is, lobak is quite different from turnips. It's really more like a daikon (maybe it is a daikon). Lobak isn't bitter. By the way, in both Chinese and Malay, carrots are called Red Lobak.

Mayhaw Man · December 17, 2003

The guy who brings my firewood (just call him Mr. Snopes :wink: ) is also a very dependable guy when it comes to the delivery of winter greens. Along with some wood this morning he delivered a box full of greens with medium size (baseball) turnips attached. What to do?

Tonights meal will consist of:

Smothered Porkchops over onion risotto

Turnip Greens cooked with Richard's Pickled Pork, garlic and onion (lightly cooked, not "berled")

Mashed turnips (just like I posted above)

Corn off of the cob (frozen this summer)(sauteed in butter until warm)

Green Salad

I believe many of you who hail from Northern climes might call this soul food. Down here we call it supper. :raz:

My MIL is here due to my wifes recent surgery. If I keep her impressed with the food she will leave me alone about all of my many shortcomings :hmmm: :laugh:

essvee · December 17, 2003

Mayhaw my man, you are outdoing yourself this eve. What, pray tell, is Richard's Pickled Pork?

ludja · December 17, 2003

The guy who brings my firewood (just call him Mr. Snopes ) is also a very dependable guy when it comes to the delivery of winter greens. Along with some wood this morning he delivered a box full of greens with medium size (baseball) turnips attached. What to do?
Tonights meal will consist of:
Smothered Porkchops over onion risotto
Turnip Greens cooked with Richard's Pickled Pork, garlic and onion (lightly cooked, not "berled")
Mashed turnips (just like I posted above)
Corn off of the cob (frozen this summer)(sauteed in butter until warm)
Green Salad
I believe many of you who hail from Northern climes might call this soul food. Down here we call it supper.
My MIL is here due to my wifes recent surgery. If I keep her impressed with the food she will leave me alone about all of my many shortcomings

no, turnip pots de creme? :raz:

ludja · December 17, 2003

Actually, I remember being in this situation myself... wondering what to cook with turnips besides the obvious. (my mom never cooked them).

In last December's Saveur they had a focus article on turnips and I made two great things--an Indian dish of Turnips with Yogurt and Tomatoes and a Mediterranean dish of Garlic, Anchovies and Turnips stewed in olive oil. Both great.

Another interesting recipe they had (which I haven't tried) is a turnip souffle.

Great thread! I'm psyched to try the turnip cake recipe which I've only enjoyed out at dim some places...

edit: spelling

Edited December 17, 2003 by ludja (log)

Mudpuppie · December 17, 2003

Here's another question. Does anyone know which cooking methods make turnips more bitter? I tried making turnip fries once, figuring that turnips could be substituted for potatoes in just about any recipe. But the frying made them inedibly bitter. Man, were they nasty. They were nice when raw, though.

Any theories for why this happens, and on which cooking methods to avoid with the humble turnip?

Edited December 17, 2003 by Mudpuppie (log)

Mayhaw Man · December 17, 2003

Mayhaw my man, you are outdoing yourself this eve. What, pray tell, is Richard's Pickled Pork?

If these guys were a public company I would take my life savings and invest it all in their fine product line. THey produce an amazing line of commercial pork, Louisiana-centric oriented products and the finest commercial bacon on the planet (at least as far as American style bacon goes).

Pickled pork is, essentially, a hunk of pork butt that has been put through the "corning" process (much like corned beef) and it adds a nice touch as a seasoning meat and around my house is often the cause of heated arguments involving who gets to eat it after the greens are gone. Similar arguments often occur involving the tails off of fried bream and toasted pecans that are supposed to be destined for salads. :shock: :laugh:

And in fact, this is kind of an average meal around here, but it is not one that my Atkins loving MIL eats regularly, so she considers it to be a big treat. And keeping her happy is my paramount duty at the moment. :hmmm:

Pan · December 17, 2003

Brooks, a speedy recovery to your wife.

Jinmyo · December 18, 2003

Yeah, I hate turnips too, and these are pretty tasty.
The thing is, lobak is quite different from turnips. It's really more like a daikon (maybe it is a daikon). Lobak isn't bitter. By the way, in both Chinese and Malay, carrots are called Red Lobak.

Lobak=daikon.

Susan in FL · December 18, 2003

LOL from some of these responses... However, I love turnips. I have always used some sugar. Here is my newest favorite recipe, which even my husband liked, and he normally doesn't like turnips. (He has always thought that anybody who is normal doesn't like turnips.)

We tried the turnip fries once, too. Wow, what a disappointment.

Mayhaw Man · December 18, 2003

Brooks, a speedy recovery to your wife.

You know it brother. Thank you.

Not only do I care about my wife's health and welfare, but my own sanity is going to shortly be threatened by the lovely and really appreciated (but frankly taxing) visit of my MIL. :wacko:

I did blow her out of her chair with dinner tonight. I even whomped up some drop biscuits and finished the whole thing off with very thin sugar cookies (have been making them most of the day for the holiday gift giving extravaganza) topped with a little pomegranate ice. It was pretty swell if I do say so myself. :wink:

Edited to say that in the middle of today's activities I knocked out two columns and don't have to turn anything in until after the 25th. Woo hoo! One great thing about being in Louisiana is that if you are stuck for something to write you can always write a political opinion piece. People read those things for sport down here :laugh:

Priscilla · December 18, 2003

MM sending every good thought to you and your wife.

Now, about turnips, I like 'em. In my experience if they're bitter they are bitter, and there's no ameliorating it. Too-old turnips will be bitter, but even some that are not too old are.

But most fresh turnips are sweet and crisp and delicious. I grew up with raw turnips hiding in plain sight, nicely cut on the crudite tray, because my Dad was from Oklahoma and like raw turnips and my Mom cannily saw this as a way to present them nicely.

Little turnips, blanched & glazed. Bigger turnips cut up in vegetable soup or as a component of root-veg mash. Diced to size, blanched, entirely welcome as one of the veg in a Salade Olivier. There's lots to do with turnips.

helenjp · December 27, 2003

Bitter turnips...happens with daikon too. The method which produced the bitterest turnips for me was grilling them and then simmering them. I confidently expected that this would NOT make them bitter. That confidence was bitterly betrayed.

Daikon are normally parboiled with a handful of rice (or in the rinse-water from washing rice) before simmering in flavored stock. This does produce an excellent flavor -- might be overkill on small turnips though.

itch22 · December 28, 2003

Bitter turnips...happens with daikon too. The method which produced the bitterest turnips for me was grilling them and then simmering them. I confidently expected that this would NOT make them bitter. That confidence was bitterly betrayed.

You find the rice/starch helps eleminate the bitterness? I always just used salted water.

helenjp · December 28, 2003

Yup, the rice starch really works. It adds one step to the cooking process, but the family will eat an entire daikon cooked that way -- without the precooking, the daikon tends to become a left-over! We have a vege stand over the road, an elderly man sells his own produce, which becomes increasingly variable the older he gets! I'm curious about exactly why the rice starch works, and it might be worth seeing what happens if you use the water potatoes have been boiled in, or throw in a small handful of flour, etc.

Katherine · December 28, 2003

The only "turnips" we get her are rutabagas. Pureed with cream, yum.

Mottmott · December 28, 2003

I haven't made this for awhile, but using small/medium white turnips (purple shoulders ok) - not rutabagas, parboil them. Then saute them in butter and just before servinging, throw in a bunch of freshly fried breadcrumbs. I think this recipe may have come from Julia Child.

Adam Balic · December 29, 2003

The only "turnips" we get her are rutabagas. Pureed with cream, yum.

Rutabagas = Swedish Turnip. In England = "Swede", in Scotland = Turnip ("Neep"). Mashed with cream with a pinch of powdered ginger is very good.

Pan · December 29, 2003

And what do Swedes call turnips? :laugh:

Adam Balic · December 29, 2003

Turnips are called "Rova" in Sweden, Swedish Turnips are called "Kalrot", although they were once called "rotabagge" in some areas and hence the US name.

Roman authors refered to the beet family as "rapa" (still in use in Italy today) or "Napus" from this derives the Anglo-Saxon Nepe/Naep (and the Scots "Neep"). At some point Nepe/Naep was combined with "Turn" (= made round or round) and hence you get "Turnip" = Round rooted Neep, to distiguish it from Neeps that you ate the leaves not the roots I guess.

Swedes/neeps were introduced into Scotland as a gift from the Swedish King, you can see the jeweled snuff-box the seeds came in in the British Museum.

Swedish turnips are actually a hybrid between a turnip and a cabbage family member (maybe rape/canola), due to a chromosomal doubling even you get fertile seeds and a new species.

In the USA Rutabaga were also known as "Turnip rooted cabbage", which they also are.

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