I just harvested a mess of turnips (possibly an apt phrase) from the garden. Now I have all these variably-shaped purple-and-white vegetables to use for Thanksgiving, and suggestions are welcome.
In my experience, one can do with turnips pretty much whatever one might do with potatoes.
I’m first! I’m first! So far my raw turnips have 100% of the vote!
Seriously… I love them raw. Sliced with a little sprinkle of salt. MMMM…
Cooked? I have chunked them and roasted with other veggies under a thick slice of ham, they are good that way, and also mashed 50/50 with potatoes. That’s all I got…
They’re pretty good mashed 50/50 with potatoes (on their own they are a bit watery mashed). I usually add them to stews instead of potatoes. And I pickle them, Lebanese style with a beet, garlic, and celery tops.
I voted “baked” which is one of my favorite preparations.
Peel, cube, toss with olive oil, salt & pepper, roast at 3:50 until tender on the inside and browned on the outside.
Second favorite preparation is to simmer them in broth or salted water with peeled cubed carrots, drain and dress with butter, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
I voted “mashed”, but I also will roast them with parsnips, rutabagas, potatoes, and beets.
Mashed is nice, but tonight they are going into a beef stew along with potatoes and other veggies. They are essential to “Roasted Roots.”
slice, parboil then layer in a casserole dish with a nice cheddar cheese and freshly ground black pepper, then bake until they are tender when pierced with the point of a knife.
I don’t believe I’ve ever had just plain turnips. Usually I’ll put a turnip, or half a turnip, into a stew, and I also do “roasted roots”. That is, I peel and cut into chunks potatoes, onions, carrots, celery, and turnips, put them into an oven safe dish, and toss with chicken broth, then bake. I don’t even add salt or pepper, everyone seasons his/her own dish to taste. This makes a very tasty dish indeed, and it’s a great vegetable side dish for winter lunches and dinners. It’s ridiculously easy to make, and it’s cheap, and everyone likes it.
I am going to cut one up raw for salad tonight. For Thanksgiving, I think Mrs. J. turns up her nose at all these here fancy Parisian ways of cooking turnips and will go for boiling, but there’s still a chance for an alternative (at the least, I think I may add a bit of turnip to my self-award winning Jackmannii’s Brussels Basil Garlic Melange.
If you are trying a low-carb diet, use them instead of potatoes in your normal potato salad recipe (with mayo and/or sour cream dressing + whatever else, bacon, egg slices, pickles(?), peppers… though I personally have had the best taste experience adding other stuff just before serving).
Delish and very satisfying. They stand up well in dressing for a couple of days and are good for lunch-bag additions to other stuff recommended for low-carb lunches. They hold their shape and texture well - also, as I said, they do have a filling quality that I like.
Please note - hijack ahead…
If you ever find yourself the proud owner of rutabagas the size of bowling balls - for what ever reason - and know not what to do. Please google rutabaga-apple (apple sauce) casseroles and treat yourselves to a whole new world of yummy.
You may bow down in awe and give me thanks later… my pleasure.
Even better, for non-wussies, try Craig Caliborne’s Turnip casserole.
(If not goolge- able; will post if requested)
I have turnips to use from my CSA and my friend told me they are great as fritters. So I’m gonna do that.
I like them raw myself, but however you prepare them remember this ladies advice: Marny’s letter/