How To Cook Turnips / Suggestions For Prep & Selection

Turnips are simple to prepare for the dinner table and with a few quick tricks, you can turn these “robust” tasting vegetables into something the whole family will look forward to (yes, it’s true!). Here’s a quick and easy way to make them (with tips listed at the bottom).

Preparation:

• Remove tops and ends then wash and scrub thoroughly.
• If they are very young, scrape as for young carrots; when larger, pare thinly.
• To prep: they may be shredded, sliced thinly, or diced. Small ones may be cooked whole then hollowed to form cups or shells, then stuffed and baked.

Directions For Cooking:

• Being an intense-flavored vegetable, these are done in a very large quantity of boiling salted water, uncovered, but just until tender.
• If they are old, the flavor and odor will be more pronounced, here’s how to fix that: Place a piece of stale bread on top surface of water to absorb odors.
• Cooking time varies with age of turnips as well as the size of pieces they have been cut, Time: from 15 to 50 minutes. For example: young ones, diced fine, will require only 15 minutes; aged ones sliced, will require about 50 minutes.
• Drain then mash or leave in tender pieces. Add butter or bacon drippings, salt and pepper then serve.

Can they be roasted? Absolutely! Peel then cut into uniform cubes (about 1/2″) and arrange on a baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil & Kosher salt over them, mix well to coat. Place in a preheated oven (400°F) and roast for about 30 minutes or so until they are done (they will pierce easily with a fork).

That’s it! Ready for some tips? Here ya go…

• Each pound will typically yield 3 generous servings.
• Add a teaspoonful of sugar to the water to add flavor, this lessens the odor too.
• For a nice twist that will temper their strong taste, peel and cut an apple in wedges then toss in the pot of boiling water along with a teaspoon of sugar (1 large apple per 2 pounds of turnips). Putting a couple potatoes in the pot will help reduce bitterness as well.
• For something more delicate, choose those that are young and tender. For a stronger, more pronounced flavor, select those that are more mature.
• They should be never be split, but sliced in rings. Cut across the fiber and they will cook more quickly and be more tender. Source.
• Though they don’t take well to combining with most other vegetables, very young and tender ones may be served raw, in salads. Served this way, its food value is particularly good. To prep for salads: shred fine.
• When wishing to include in homemade relish, cut them in toothpick-size pieces (when raw and freshly cleaned).
• It contains about 90% water and its pronounced flavor is due to the presence of a certain essential oil in the vegetable, which grows stronger as it becomes larger and older.
• Try mashing them then mix with applesauce and bacon bits. Bake in a casserole until hot then serve, this dish is something to remember! (about a 4:1 ratio–turnips:applesauce)

Source: Vegetable Cook Book, McFayden Seed Co. Ltd. (1948)