“An Ode To Turnips”
“An Ode To Turnips” by Anna Nguyen
Hello! My name is Anna, and I am an Americorps Community Food Fellow and turnip enthusiast, here to give you the 411 on one of my favorite roots, and some recipe inspiration- just in time for this week’s Marigold Monday Market!
When you hear the word “turnip”, do visions of garlic mashed turnips and creamy turnip soup start dancing in your head? or do you think to yourself, “what is a turnip and what the heck do I do with it?”
Let’s start with the basics: turnips are root vegetables with a sweet, peppery taste that belong to the same family as mustard greens, radishes, and arugula. Peak season for turnips here in Georgia is from October - April. Essentially, if arugula and radishes got together and had a love child, it would be the turnip (taste-wise anyways). Versatile and forgiving, they are a great addition to various casseroles, soups, and stews.
So why should you care to add turnips to your dinner rotation? They are rich in vitamin C, which helps promote immune system function and the production of collagen. Turnips are also a great source of vitamin A , essential for vision and preventing night blindness, and supports immune function, and Vitamin K, which plays a vital role in blood clotting and wound healing.
Not only do turnips taste good, but they also provide many nutritional benefits! I mean what’s not to love?
Garlic Mashed Turnips from Savory Tooth
▢ 2 medium purple-top turnips
▢ 2 cloves garlic, minced
▢ 3 ounces cream cheese
▢ 2 tablespoons butter
▢ 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
▢ 1/2 teaspoon table salt
▢ 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Cut Turnips: Peel turnips. Cut into roughly 2-inch chunks, about 16 chunks per turnip.
Boil Turnips: Add chopped turnips to 3 quart or larger pot, and fill with water. Cover with lid, and bring to boil. Boil turnips until very soft, about 30 minutes. Drain turnips in colander, emptying pot of water. Let turnips sit for about 5 minutes to steam out, then transfer turnips back to pot.
Combine Ingredients: Mash turnips in pot. Add all other ingredients, and stir over medium-low heat for a few minutes until incorporated. If mixture appears too thin, proceed to next step to thicken; otherwise, skip next step.
Thicken: Increase to medium heat so that mixture starts to bubble. Stir nearly constantly (to prevent sticking to bottom of pot) for a few minutes until mixture thickens and resembles mashed potatoes.
Serve: Cool for 5 minutes, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.
Creamy Turnip Soup from Spend with Pennies
▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
▢ 1 onion diced
▢ 1 ½ pounds turnips peeled
▢ 1 medium potato peeled
▢ 1 Granny smith apple peeled
▢ 2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
▢ ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt or to taste
▢ ½ teaspoon curry powder
▢ ⅓ cup light cream
Combine olive oil and onion in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until onion is tender.
Meanwhile, dice turnips, potato, and apple into 1" cubes.
Add all ingredients except cream to the saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook covered 12-14 minutes or until all vegetables are very tender.
Using a hand blender or a regular blender*, blend until smooth (see notes for regular blender).
Stir in cream and heat through for 2-3 minutes.
Garnish with herbs and croutons if desired.
