Falling into turnips

Fall vegetables present a whole new tableau of flavors and textures to work with, far different than spring. One of my favorites is the turnip. It’s long been part of our eating life as southerners, but this root veggie’s potential remains generally untapped. Versatile and packed with vitamins and minerals, it can be your kitchen workhorse this fall.

The wrap on turnips is that they’re bitter, and that’s true if you don’t remove the tough outer layer, usually about an eighth-of-an-inch of skin on an apple-sized turnip. You can actually see the thickness of this exterior band if you cut the turnip in half crosswise. It’s a job for a paring knife, not a peeler. Removing this band will eliminate the bitterness and shorten cooking time, so check for doneness frequently. It’s easy to overcook them.

Turnips can be prepared like potatoes: roasted, mashed, pureed or boiled. One of my favorite weeknight recipes is mashed potatoes and turnips. The characteristic nutty, peppery flavor of the turnip is a terrific enhancement to creamy, starchy potatoes.
They’re also fabulous diced and added to soups, from classic vegetable to silky cream of turnip soup prepared with sautéed leeks, chicken stock, a little cream and fresh dill. I love roast turnips, a snap to prepare by tossing cubes of turnips with olive oil and kosher salt and cooking at 400 degrees. Slice them long and thin and you have a healthier substitute to French fries. If you come into baby turnips, peel them gently, (they’re far less bitter) and cook them lightly. Better yet, slice them super-thin with a mandolin along with baby beets and create a raw, fall salad or slaw.