turnip virgin - best prep method?

[Kali]

I have never had turnips (or at least I don't remember if I have) and I just bought a few at the store. would they go with salmon and asparagus for dinner tonight? what would you recommend as to preparing? They are pretty much like potatoes, right? can roast, boil, mash?

[Lithos]

1. Yep - treat them like potatoes

Cut them up into reasonable chunks and cook until tender. You can roast them, sautee them, mash them, or put them into stews.

Garlic, oil, salt go well if you work with them as a side dish of their own.

[Kali]

12. decided to try roasting

[Lithos]

14. Cool

Please report back when you can!

[Kali]

17. I roasted them with olive oil and salt and pepper.

~400 for about half an hour or so, stirring/flipping once. they maybe aren't the best choice to have with salmon and asparagus but I think they would go well with other meats and good raw too. I liked them better than the parsnips I tried last year. also tried a raw bite and think I will like them for added crunch to salads for sure. will try mashed at some point and bet they would be great with the other vegs I like with pot roast,

[Lithos]

19. Cool

yeah, I used to add them and parsnips to stew quite a bit - added a nice taste...

[lkinwi]

2. Turnip puff casserole

https://www.thespruceeats.com/turnip-puff-3061925

[Kali]

11. that sound interesting

a bit involved for a first taste but maybe if we like them, will try that in the future

[saidsimplesimon]

3. Yes, like potatoes for the Irish.

Delicious when served with roasted lamb as well (sorry to vegans), roast ahead of time to pair with salmon would be my choice.

[Kali]

13. going to roast them

I am not big on lamb, I can eat it but not my favorite (also freaking expensive!)

[procon]

4. Buy them young and small to avoid

the strong cabbage, or bitter aftertaste associated with larger ones.

Rutabaga or swedes, depending on where you live, would probably overwhelm the delicate flavors of your salmon and asparagus. I pair them with another bold taste like brats, kielbasa, dinner sausages, ham, corned beef, served with fresh cabbage, potatoes and carrots.

You can cook them with any method you would use for potatoes, but don't overcook as that can turn them bitter. I generally steam or boil the peeled chunks and either serve as they are or mash. Butter, salt and pepper to taste is all I add. Turnips can be mashed together with potatoes and/or carrots to introduce them to your tastebuds to see if you like them.

[Kali]

15. going to try roasing

olive oil, salt and pepper. can add some garlic powder or other seasoning when done as needed.

[sprinkleeninow]

20. Yes, buy small ones. They'll be sweeter. Any veg smaller sized is better.

Neighbors used to grow humongous zucchini almost the size of a baseball bat. The guy made zucchini Parmesan out of them. Not bad, but I favor diminutive vegs. Like carrots. Fat ones have a peculiar taste. Bigger isn't always better.

Mash turnips with potatoes, butter, a splash half and half, s & p. Simple but good.

[trof]

5. Whoa. Turnips have a much stronger and more distinctive flavor than spuds.

Last edited Mon Mar 11, 2019, 05:57 PM - Edit history (1)

I think their flavor might 'clash' with asparagus.
In spite of the fact that I grew up with boiled turnips ( and turnip greens) I prefer the roots cut up and roasted.
And the greens sweated.

[Kali]

10. they didn't come with tops, and yeah might be a bit much with asparagus but want to try them out

if they are just too much it will be a lesson learned (could "cajun" the salmon to spice that up but then the asparagus would really be out of place) just three of us tonight so not a dinner party or anything dangerous like that. LOL

[Arkansas Granny]

6. I used to cube them and steam them until tender and then add them to a simple

white sauce. My kids loved them fixed that way.

Lately I've been oven roasting them with other veggies in my cast iron skillet. That really brings out their natural sweetness.

[Kali]

18. they did have a nice roasty sweetness

I liked them, will try again for sure.

[dem in texas]

22. Creamed turnips, yum, yum.

That's the way my mother fixed them. She'd also cook the turnips with the turnip greens, that was special to us kids. I still buy turnip greens fresh and cook then up, sometimes mixed greens. When served, sprinkle with a little vine vinegar or the juice off "Sportin" peppers. Real Southern style food.

I like to add a turnip along with an onion and some celery to the pan when make a pork roast.

[spinbaby]

7. I like them raw

Peel, slice thin, and serve with a dip.

[Kali]

9. I ate a piece as I was cutting them and it was good

so they are going to go into the "salad" repertoire for sure, decided to roast in olive oil with salt and pepper and will see how that goes.

[dem in texas]

21. Used to eat raw when I was a kid

Don't remember if it was white or rutabaga turnips, but we'd peel them and eat slices, not bad when you are ten years old and poor.

[JDC]

8. Whatever you do, Lots of butter.

[Kali]

16. going to roast with olive oil

but butter could be added after

[trof]

23. How did the turnips turn out? Did you like them?

[Kali]

24. I did like them!

https://www.democraticunderground.com/115779078#post17

you were right, they weren't really perfect with salmon and asparagus, but I will definetly include them in the veg routine now.

how was your chicken? that sounded really good and I spent too long on that website drooling over stuff!

[trof]

25. Joe Patti's is a foodie's dream.

We hit there every 3 or 4 months.
I'm in coastal Alabama. Pensacola is about 45 minutes away.

[trof]

26. Oh yeah, here's a typical southern veggie dinner/supper

Turnip greens, turnips, black-eyed peas, butter beans (limas), cornbread.

[Kali]

27. black-eyed peas and limas together?

I have childhood trauma about lima beans but confess I have never had them made from dried, the trauma was from succotash (and plain) from frozen. Finally found some Andouille sausage and am planning red beans and rice in the near future. Great-great-Grandfather was from Alabama originally, son came to Arizona by way of Texas. So there are some southern roots, they just go back a way.

[peacefreak2.0]

28. I used to steam them

With a cut up apple. Finished with butter & a little cinnamon.