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As a crop that's fed humanity since prehistoric times, turnips deserve more respect in our modern lives. No other vegetable gives you super-nutritious roots and greens. In fact, turnip tops are the most nutritious green, with more calcium than dairy products. Turnips are in season right now, inexpensive, nutritious and more versatile than ever.
Most people know that turnip roots are wonderful in heart-warming soups and stews during the cold, dark days around the winter solstice. But did you know they can also make terrific light salads to counter the holiday heaviness? In addition to the classic purple-shouldered white turnips, there are golden turnips, Japanese white turnips (hakurei), and the large, flattened orb of the Japanese red turnip (hidabeni). A salad of all these, thinly sliced in rounds, can be as bright as a basket of confetti.
My current favorite turnip is the red hidabeni, and its brilliant red skin is perfect for the holiday table. "Hida" means "flat" in Japanese, and "beni" refers to a particular shade of red that comes from the pigment of the benibana (safflower), which has been painted inside sake cups and small plates since ancient times.
Hidabeni and other salad turnips are so tender and mild that there is no need to peel them, and you can eat them raw in a salad as you would a radish. Or cut them up and marinate them in oil and rice wine vinegar for a refreshing, beautiful salad on their own. Each piece will have a beautiful, fairly thick red ring at the edge, and a white center, sometimes streaked with red -- festive and delicious!
Speaking of festive, in many Asian cultures, red is an auspicious color, associated with good fortune and happiness. You see it everywhere around the Chinese New Year, which falls on Jan. 23. And since this tends to be a dark and dreary time of year outside, why not bring a happy color to your table with the red turnips.
Of course all turnips are good for you. They have about one-third the calories of a potato and are an excellent source of Vitamin C, fiber, folic acid, manganese, pantothenic acid and copper. So give them a try and get the new year off to a good start!
Turnip-Apple Slaw
Ingredients
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
¼ teaspoon freshly grated black pepper
1 teaspoon honey
1 apple, quartered, cored and coarsely grated
2 or 3 turnips (red or white salad turnips are perfect), peeled and coarsely grated
1 scallion, finely chopped (optional)
Directions
- Combine the first four ingredients in a large bowl. Mix in the apple, turnips and scallion. Chill before serving as a side dish or slathering onto burgers or sandwiches.
Stir-Fried Red Turnips
Ingredients
4 turnips, peel on, cut into strips
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
seasoning of choice (chipotle powder, paprika, black pepper, sea salt)
Directions
- Wash turnips. Slice and then cut slices into strips as for French fries.
- Toss in olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and seasonings of choice. In a heavy skillet, pan sear and then gently stir fry over medium heat until the turnip is cooked through and soft. If you would like them crispy on the outside, just before removing from the pan, turn up the heat and brown.
Crispy Turnip Oven Fries With Parmesan
Ingredients
3 pounds turnips (any variety)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
Directions
- Heat oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with a piece of aluminum foil and lightly grease.
- Peel the turnips and cut into French fry-sized sticks, about ⅓-inch by 4 inches. Place into a large bowl, and toss with the vegetable oil to coat.
- Place the Parmesan cheese, garlic salt, paprika, onion powder in a plastic bag and shake to mix. Place the oiled turnips into the bag and shake until evenly coated with the spices. Spread out onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake in preheated oven until the outside is crispy, and the inside is tender, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.
Terra Brockman is an author, a speaker and a fourth-generation farmer from central Illinois. Her latest book, "The Seasons on Henry's Farm," now out in paperback, was a finalist for a 2010 James Beard Award.
Photo: Fresh turnips. Credit: Terra Brockman
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