Be it ever so humble, there’s nothing like a turnip

Friday, December 14, 2007

Turnips are plentiful ‘round these parts right now.  The farmer’s markets are just full of them!  Oddly, turnips suffer by reputation with many people.  They allege that turnips are woody, that they’re ugly, that they don’t taste good.  Stop maligning the turnips!  They are delicious and nutritious (high in fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium, Potassium and Copper), with an interesting history.

Did you know that turnips were originally used to make jack o’lanterns around Halloween?  In Ireland, turnips were hallowed out and lit inside to keep the demons and devils away. 

Despite all that, I’m really in it for the taste.  And, like I said, turnips are delicious - and not just my favorites, the Hakurei turnips.  Regular purple-topped varieties are really great, too!

So what can one do with the turnip, other than use it as a tool of the paranormal?  I like to use them in soup and I know lots of people who are crazy about them simply roasted, but there are lots of possibilities.  They can be pickled, made into custards, transformed into latkes, and even the greens can be used! 

There are two turnip recipes I’ve been dying to try: turnip souffle and warm turnip green dip.  I guess I’ll have to nip out the nearest farmer’s market later and pick up a mess of turnips!