Turnips & Roses
Turnips. The unsung hero of Spring and Fall gardens.
They are among the oldest of all root vegetables. So old that they were growing wild in Siberia while dinosaurs were roaming the earth. They’re hardy, easy to get started, and they are deliciously versatile. With turnips you can eat both the greens as well as the roots.
These Gurney’s Purple Top White Globe Turnips are the biggest I’ve ever grown! Honestly, they’re the biggest I’ve ever seen.
I planted these turnips on August 15th. Within a week we had sprouts and nearly a 100% germination rate.
Turnips supply an abundance of fiber into your diet. They are also high in vitamin c & a, potassium, and lutein.
Now, with all these turnips I bet you’re wondering what exactly I’m going to do with them! Below is a list of ideas you can make with turnips:
Turnip Rosettes (recipe below)
Turnip Greens - they can be used in most any recipe in place of spinach or collard greens. Turnip Greens are delicious pan fried in your choice of oil. Add lemon and garlic for extra flavor.
Roasted Turnips - with carrots, parsnips, onions and herbs. Cut the veggies into evenly sized pieces. Toss them together in olive oil and your favorite herbs/seasonings. Roast at 400° until fork tender and golden brown.
Pan fried turnips in your choice of oil. We use rendered bacon fat. Lightly coat diced turnips in oil. Cook on medium - medium high heat until fork tender and golden.
Mashed Turnips.Turn your favorite mashed potato recipe into mashed turnips!
Parmesan crusted twice cooked turnips. Boil baby- small turnips until fork tender. Preheat oven to 400°. Add drained turnips to a lined baking sheet. Arrange evenly. Use the back of a spatula to smash the turnips. Drizzle each with olive oil. Top the turnips with grated parmesan and salt to taste. Cook until golden brown and crispy.
Quick pickle them to add pizzazz to charcuterie boards and sandwiches
And of course, simply eaten raw as a snack or a delicious addition to your salads.
Turnip Rosette Hand Pies
Ingredients:
2 store bought pie crusts or sheets of puff pastry
5-6 small-medium turnips
¾ cup parmigiano reggiano
½ cup olive oil
½ tbs salt
1 tbs thyme - chopped
1 tbs rosemary - chopped
Flakey salt - for garnish
Method:
Preheat oven to 375°.
Remove your pie crusts (or puff pastry sheets) from the fridge and allow them to come to room temperature. Grease a muffin tin thoroughly with olive oil. Prepare the turnips by washing and peeling them (if they’re larger in size). Set aside.
In a large bowl combine olive oil, salt, and herbs.
Using a mandolin and a hand guard or a sharp knife cut the turnips into thin rounds. Place the cut rounds into the olive oil mixture.
Unroll the pie crusts one at a time and roll them out until they’re around ⅛ inch thick. Using a ruler make strips 1 inch wide by 12 inches long. You will need 12 1” x 12” strips. Place the first strip down horizontally on a clean surface. Place your turnip rounds so that they are even at the bottom of the pie crust strip and stick out above the top of the strip. Moving left to right, slightly overlap each round until you are left with 1” of excess pie crust at the end. Starting on the left, begin rolling your pie crust and rounds toward the right making sure to tuck in any runaway turnips as you go. Once you get to the end you will see that the extra 1” of crust helps to secure the rose stays together. Place each rose in your greased muffin pan. Helpful hint- if you feel the turnips are too stiff or thick to roll up you can pop them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds (or more if needed) to soften them. Repeat process 11 more times until you have a dozen turnip roses! Bake for 40 minutes or until tops are crispy and pie crust is golden. Allow to cool slightly before removing. Garnish with flakey salt! Enjoy!!!
