Don't make my mistake and turn-up your nose at turnips. Until this week I had never eaten a turnip in all me live long day. What folly!
If the greatest conquests arise from the greatest challenges, I reasoned, then discovers of insumountable pleasure and unknown goodness must hiding in this strange purple and white root.
I set the target in my sites.
Taking this view I found that the oft-forsaken turnip is not the mushy bland horror of the Thanksgiving table I feared. It is not an elder's bowl of paste sorrowfuly placed by senility or loss of palate. The turnip is in fact one of the most versatile vegetables I've yet found - albeit as near perplexing as the funky kohlrabi!
First; start at the top. Those unappealling fuzzy greens, pock-marked with flea beetle bites and laden with sand are of the highest calibre saute greens to be found. Chop the leaves and chop finely the stems, and saute with olive oil (or butter if you dare), salt and pepper. Liven it up with a little garlic, but treat minimally because the flavor is scrumptious (veganly-speaking).
Next is the beast itself. Cube the turnip (chop coarsely) and par-boil 4 minutes (already have the water boiling before you drop them in). Then Saute for about the same or a little longer. Olive oil is preferred with kosher salt and cracked pepper. Some like sea salt because it has less sodium. Personally, sodium is salt. Salt is what you're putting on. If you like the taste of salt, and there's not enough flavor, you're likely to put on more, ergo, you're right back to high sodium... Do it or don't - noone wants unsalty salt. Then again, my blood pressures not exactly low. Anyway, kosher salt is nice because its big and gritty and you can get visceral with it. You can even make a margarita glass look pissah. One of our CSA members has a penchant for "Himalayan pink salt," which is apparently rich in minerals and micro-nutrients. Enough digression. That's the basic start for turnips. Now it gets really interesting...
With the cubed, par-boiled, sauted turnips you can make an assortment of side-dishes. If you like some kick, continue to saute, but add cayenne pepper and garlic powder (or fresh). If you like it sweet, try adding a little honey, maple syrup, or sugar - you can also additionally flavor with cinnamon and/or nutmeg. Like it savory? Skip those last two treatments and add cumin or curry or fresh fennel. See where we're going? I'm already salivating like we were pouring red wine on buttered portobellos.
OK, last trick for tonight. Turnip Tomato Salad with Aioli. Take the sauted turnips with the garlic and cayenne and refigerate a couple hours. Make a fresh batch of aioli (Italian mayonaise - recipe on TheDahliaFarm.com website). Cube a couple fresh heirloom garden tomatoes and toss with the chilled turnips and ailoi. Serve it up - it will not last!
