Turnips for the eatin'

[April Manier]

Hoodat really inspired me with his Tokyo Turnips post.

I've been out in the field with our turnips. We have a KAjillion of them! I have never cooked with turnips before, but I decided I would explore this marvelous wonder, so I went and grabbed a few.

For those of you new to turnips, I highly recommend them for their easy care and fabulous flavor. They are a great cool season crop that looks a bit like a weed but has sure lit up my life as I am finishing the beets and kale, longing for a new winter companion.

I wrote about it on my blog which you can visit if you click on the website button under my picture. The blog has a little turnip photo essay in there for those curious about turnips.

I would love to hear your favorite turnip recipes so that I can continue my adventures in turnip land.

 

[hoodat]

If warm weather causes them to bolt just let them flower even if you don't want to save seeds. Bees love them and they're also good fodder for the predator wasps and syrphid flies.

 

[journey11]

I love the tops just as much as the root.

Tip--put a small peeled potato in with your turnips when you boil them. It absorbs all the bitterness. People who don't like turnips have never had them cooked properly, IMO. They are sweet and delicious cooked this way. Then I butter mine up!

 

[jojo54]

I roast mine with carrots, onions, sweet potatoes, etc. They are great.

 

[freemotion]

We also roast them with other veggies. I toss them with chicken fat that has herbs mixed in it (garlic, onion, oregano, basil, pepper, salt). We've tried other fats including olive oil, and chicken fat is by far the best! Bacon fat is good, too.

Rarely a week goes by when we don't have turnips and carrots, mashed coarsely together, with butter and salt.

Turnips cooked plain with lots of butter, salt, and pepper are surprisingly good, too.

I use shredded rutabaga as a base for cole slaw, since I can't eat cabbage. I use rutabaga, carrots, and broccoli, add a can of crushed pineapple with the juice, mayo, salt and pepper. We eat this a pint at a time each in the summer, it is that good.

If you don't use up the entire root and leave a cut edge, be sure to trim that edge as if peeling it before using. That cut edge will often be quite bitter after a day or two in the fridge, even covered.

 

[Smiles Jr.]

April do you pronounce your name "man-yea"? Just curious.

 

[Kim_NC]

We make whipped turnips and potatoes. Cube the veggies, boil until soft - I start the turnips first since they take longer to cook. Then drain and whip together. We add salt & pepper.

Do not add milk. The turnips are more watery than potatoes. Unlike mashed potatoes alone, you will not need milk to thin them.

 

[April Manier]

Rarely a week goes by when we don't have turnips and carrots, mashed coarsely together, with butter and salt.

I.

Boy that sounds really yummy. I'm trying that!

 

[April Manier]

April do you pronounce your name "man-yea"? Just curious.

Yes I do. It's french (as you probably know). Soon I will have a finish name...
Haapala.

 

[Smiles Jr.]

That reminds me of an old song . . .
Hey Hey, Paula
That's from the early 60s so many of you spring chickens may not remember