In Season: Turnips

You recently learned about rutabagas. This week, before it gets too late, I want to show you turnips so you can really tell them apart. They look so similar but have a big difference in taste. While rutabagas are sweet and yellow fleshed, turnips have a strong cabbage flavor and...

By Jennifer Woods

March 15, 2011

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You recently learned about rutabagas. This week, before it gets too late, I want to show you turnips so you can really tell them apart. They look so similar but have a big difference in taste. While rutabagas are sweet and yellow fleshed, turnips have a strong cabbage flavor and have a brilliant white interior. I have had a mostly off again relationship with turnips and have made it a mission to get Pamela Hamilton from Edible Phoenix to love them with me. She's replied to some of my tweets telling me that she's not a believer in turnip love. Here's my best effort to woo you two. If she (and you) don't love my recipes below, then you'll never love turnips.

Some roasty toasty turnip lovin' after the jump.

Warm roasted root veg and lentil salad

ingredients

roasted root vegetables, about 2 cups

(peel, chop into 1"dice, oil salt pepper on baking dish, roast at 425 for 20 min. - I used red potatoes, sweet potatoes and turnips)

cooked lentils warmed

(I used the trader joe's lentils in the fridge pack - or drain a can of them - or make your own)

1 lemon, juiced and zested

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

olive oil, about ¼ cup

honey, about 2 teaspoons

3 green onions, chopped

salt

pepper

dry buttery cheese shavings (I used manchego but parmesan would work great too)

method

place all ingredients into a bowl (minus the cheese) and stir it gently. Spoon the warm salad into a rim soup bowl or plate and top with the cheese. I won't tell if you just spoon it straight into your mouth.

Jennifer Woods is a local food advocate with over 10 years working in the AZ food industry, and currently works for Crooked Sky Farms, a CSA produce farm based in South Phoenix.

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