Tender baby turnips offer a flavorful fall treat

During the pandemic, our local famers markets have done an excellent job of providing a safe environment for us to purchase fresh local produce, meat, poultry, fish, cheese and a variety of prepared foods. And, for those who are not quite comfortable venturing out into a group setting, Hattie’s Garden offers a consolidated delivery service to bring all these items to your door (or you can collect them in her driveway).

For the past few weeks, she has offered bunches of baby turnips, one of my favorite fall root vegetables. Related to radishes and arugula in the mustard family of Brassica, turnips can be served in a variety of ways. First, the leafy greens, which will turn tender and tasty after a quick sauté. The other part, the small bulbous root, can be served raw or cooked.

Because these turnips are so small and tender, there is no reason to peel their skins as you would for a larger turnip. You simply need to choose how to prepare them. One option is to cut them into slender matchsticks and toss onto a mixed salad or shred them into your favorite cole slaw recipe; they’ll add a nice crunch and bright flavor to the dish. You can also quarter them for the crudité platter, where they’re delicious dipped in ranch dressing.

Turnips may be a bit tangy when raw, but they’re mellow and sweet when roasted. For the dish in the photo, the only preparation required was to remove the dangling root and trim off the greens (more later about cooking them). Spread the whole turnips on a foil-lined baking sheet and toss with onions. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a few grinds of fresh black pepper, and they’re ready for the oven.

There are many substitutions you can try with this recipe. Carrots, leeks, shallots and fennel can all replace the onion, depending on what flavor profile you choose. I served these on a bed of braised greens, which were coarsely chopped and added to a skillet with some olive oil and a splash of chicken broth. They shrink a great deal as they cook, so watch closely so they don’t burn. Garnish with a sprinkle of vinegar and they become the bed for your roasted vegetables.

With a boiled consistency similar to potatoes, turnips can also be served as a mashed purée or form the basis of a creamy soup. Another traditional potato recipe offers room for turnips to be the star. Layers of thinly sliced turnip, wilted onion and a creamy white sauce become scalloped turnips.

When shopping for baby turnips, look for cream-colored bulbs that resemble white radishes, and try to find them with their greens still attached. Older turnips will have a signature purple ring at the top and their skins will be thicker, requiring peeling. As soon as you get them home, trim the greens from the bulb, or they’ll draw moisture from the round root.

Rinse and cook the greens, keeping them ready in the refrigerator for their place on the menu. Store the turnips in a plastic bag or loosely wrapped in paper towels in the crisper drawer. Alternatively, you can keep them loose in the cool, dark, dry environment of a root cellar. I’ve include recipes for roast turnips, scalloped turnips, and a filling celery turnip soup.

Roast Turnips

1 bunch baby turnips

1 large onion*

1 T olive oil

1 t freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil; set aside. Trim greens from turnips and retain for another dish. Remove any dangling root threads and rinse to remove any surface dirt. If small, leave whole; if larger, cut turnips in half. Arrange in a single layer on the baking sheet. Peel the onion and cut into eighths; scatter over the baking pan. Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil and shake the pan to coat. Sprinkle with pepper and bake until tender and golden, about 40 minutes. *Note: Substitute carrots, leeks, shallots or fennel for the onion. Yield: 4 servings.

Scalloped Turnips

4 T butter, divided

1 thinly sliced onion

4 C thinly sliced turnips*

3 T flour

1 t salt

1/2 t white pepper

1/2 t nutmeg

3/4 C whole milk

1/2 C heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 F. Use 1 T butter to coat the inside of a 1-quart casserole dish; set aside. Melt 1 T butter in a large skillet. Sauté onions just until softened; remove from heat. Layer one-third of the sliced turnips in the prepared baking dish; cover with one-third of the onions. Sift 1 T flour over the onions and dot with 1 T butter, broken into pieces. Repeat twice more. Whisk together salt, pepper, nutmeg, milk and cream. Pour the milk mixture evenly over the layers. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake until tender and bubbly, about 30 more minutes. *Note: if these are not thin-skinned baby turnips, peel the tough outer layer before slicing. Using a mandoline makes the slicing easier. Yield 6 servings.

Turnip Soup

2 C chopped celery

1 C chopped onions

1 T butter

2 minced garlic cloves

2 C diced turnip

1 C peeled, diced russet potato, peeled

2 C vegetable broth

1/2 C heavy cream

salt and white pepper, to taste

snipped chives, for garnish

Melt butter in a large skillet and sauté the celery and onions over low heat, stirring occasionally, until very tender, around 20 minutes. If mixture becomes too dry, add a splash of broth to keep pieces from burning. Stir in garlic, turnip, potato and broth; cover and cook over medium until tender, about 15 minutes. Using an immersion blender or food processor, purée until smooth. Whisk in cream and adjust seasonings to taste. Garnish with snipped chives. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Send questions, comments and recipe suggestions to capeflavors@comcast.net.