Until I began living in France in the early 1980s, I thought a turnip was a big, round, woody vegetable that you could throw into a soup, but that was about it. Then I tasted tender, sweet little spring turnips, turned so they looked like little torpedoes and sauteed in butter. I thought I was eating a vegetable I'd never seen before. It was April, and every other farmer at my local Tuesday and Friday marche volant on the Boulevard Raspail had generous bunches for sale.

Now we have farmers markets in the United States that are every bit as good as any Paris street market, so if you aren't a kitchen gardener who grows wonderful root vegetables through the winter you can still find them grown by local farmers and harvested besting their prime in early spring. I like to show them off in simple top-of-the-stove dishes and in oven-baked gratins.

One of the best things about certain root vegetables, such as turnips and beets, is that you get two distinct produce items for the price of one. You can use the greens and bulbs in the same dish, as in the recipes that follow, or you can keep them separate and make two different dishes. When you buy leeks you may feel as if you're paying for a good deal you can't use, since the dark, tough top parts are usually discarded. But those woody tops can be used to make vegetable stock. Simmer them before you throw them out. And don't neglect these sweet root vegetables in early spring, just because asparagus and ramps have hit the market.

"Earth to Kitchen" series: For a look at growing each of these winter vegetables, check out John Lyons' piece on "The Root of Flavor."

Glazed Radishes

Serves 6

The idea of cooking radishes might strike you as unusual, but it’ll make perfect sense when you taste these. The radishes lose their bite when you cook them and resemble small, tender turnips. It’s a great thing to do with radishes that you know you’re not going to use up in a salad, and it makes a beautiful side dish. There’s not much butter here, yet the radishes have a rich, luxurious flavor.

Ingredients

Directions

1. Heat a large, lidded frying pan or a wide saucepan over medium heat and add the butter. When it foams, add the radishes and season with salt. Shake the pan to coat the radishes with butter, then turn down the heat to medium low, cover and cook, stirring or shaking the pan often, for 8 minutes. Meanwhile, stir together the sugar and vinegar in a small bowl until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Add the vinegar and sugar to the radishes, then stir and cover again. Cook 8 minutes, shaking the pan or stirring often. Uncover and continue to cook, stirring, until there is no longer any liquid in the pan and the radishes are glazed. Taste and adjust salt. Serve hot.

Baby Turnip Ragout With Leeks and Turnip Greens

Serves 4

This is a springtime dish, to make when the first tender young leeks and turnips hit the farmers markets. The leeks and onions provide a sweet backdrop for the pungent-sweet turnips and bitter greens. It’s hearty enough to be a main dish if you serve it with couscous, grains or pasta.

Ingredients

Directions

1. Place the leek greens in a large pot and add 2 quarts water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat, partially cover and simmer while you prepare the remaining vegetables, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain through a strainer set over a bowl.
2. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large lidded skillet or a Dutch oven, then add the onion and sliced leeks. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes, then add a generous pinch of salt and the garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute, and add the turnips, 2½ cups of the leek stock (freeze what remains) and salt to taste, and bring to a simmer.
3. Cover partially, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes, or until the turnips are tender. Stir in the greens and simmer another 5 minutes. If the greens are quite tough, simmer a few minutes longer but don’t simmer so long that they lose their bright color (or that the turnips become mushy). Add pepper and salt to taste.
4. Stir in the fresh herbs and butter, and when the butter has melted serve in wide bowls, over pasta, grains, or couscous if desired.
5. Advance preparation: This can be made up to the addition of the greens hours ahead of serving. Reheat, add the greens and proceed with the recipe close to serving time to preserve the bright green colors.

Beet Green Gratin With Golden Beet Crust

Makes 6 servings

This is a particularly luxurious gratin, and quite beautiful. The greens are encased in a layer of sliced golden beets, a gorgeous display of contrasting colors and rich flavors. You can usually get extra beet greens for the asking at the farmers market, as some shoppers ask vendors to cut the greens away when they buy their beets.

Ingredients

Directions

1. Roast the beets: Preheat the oven to 425 F. Cut the greens off of the beets, leaving about ½ inch of the stems attached. Scrub the beets and place in a baking dish or oven-proof casserole. Add about ¼ inch water to the dish. Cover tightly with a lid or foil, and bake 35 to 40 minutes, until the beets are tender. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. If not using right away, refrigerate in a covered bowl.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil while you de-stem and wash the greens. Fill a bowl with ice water. When the pot of water comes to a boil, salt generously and blanch the greens (you will probably need to do this in two batches) for about 2 minutes. Transfer the greens to the ice water, then drain and squeeze out the water. Chop coarsely.
3. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Coat a 2-quart gratin or baking dish generously with olive oil. Slip the skins off the beets, and slice very thin across the equator. Line the bottom and sides of the gratin dish with sliced beets.
4. Beat together eggs, ¾ teaspoon salt, milk, garlic, the Gruyere and 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan. Add pepper. Stir in the greens. Turn into the gratin dish. Cover the top of the gratin with the remaining beet slices, overlapping them slightly. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of cheese over the beets, and drizzle on the olive oil. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until set and lightly browned on the top.
5. Allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Serve hot or warm.
6. Advance preparation: I usually roast the beets and blanch the greens as soon as I get them home from the market. They will keep, in covered bowls in the refrigerator, for 3 or 4 days. The gratin is then quickly assembled. The baked gratin can be made a few hours ahead and reheated.

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