Looking for a way to spice up your dinner? How about turnips? Turnip greens are notorious for their pepperiness and bitterness. I tend to think about the bulbous root when I think of turnips. Turnips contain bitter cyanoglucosides (and lots of vitamin C.) Some people who are genetic "supertasters" and tend to be more sensitive to more bitter compounds in food and could find turnips too peppery and bitter for their delicate palettes. Turnips can serve as an opportunity to add a pungent peppery punch to cut through a rich meal such as a pot roast or anything with a fatty cream sauce. Adding balance. While in culinary school, I was introduced to the turnip and the parsnip in the root vegetable cooking lab. We simply roasted a mixture of root vegetables for something complex and extraordinary. I decided to roast plain turnips in olive oil and rosemary with some salt and pepper. Simple as that. Very easy to prepare, and turnips peel much easier than most root vegetables. The smaller the turnip, the more tender. I add the rosemary in stages throughout the roasting process to layer the flavors.
Ingredients:
1 pound turnips, peeled, medium dice cut2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to bake at 375F. In a roasting pan, combine the diced turnips, olive oil, salt, pepper, and a pinch of rosemary. Mix until evenly coated. Make sure the turnips are in an even single layer. Total roasting time is typically 45 minutes. Every 15 minutes, remove, add another pinch of rosemary until 1 pinch is left, and stir up and redistribute turnips before placing back in oven. Turnips are done roasting once the edges have browned. Taste for salt and pepper; add more if needed. Add final pinch of rosemary and toss again. Serve immediately.-Erin Swing
The Sensitive EpicureThis is part of Food Network's Fall Fest, highlighting the produce that is in season. Check out The FN Dish. The seasonal produce we are focusing on the turnip! Come over to Twitter where we are discussing it on #cookingwith and #fallfest. Here are other delicious recipes featuring turnips:
Virtually Homemade: Turnip Gratin With Parmesan and Nutmeg
And Love It Too: Turnip Pancakes
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Turnips, Really?
Purple Cook: Vegetable Biryani With Turnips
Glory Foods: Turnip Greens With Potatoes and Mushrooms
Big Girls Small Kitchen: Creamed Turnips With Their Greens
FN Dish: Simply Roasted Turnips
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