This turnip in the kitchen

[gogoblender 3,072]

Made it for first time every last night. They were on sale at the veggie store near by. .99 for a pound, and they look so "rooty".

 

They also had pumpkins, all kinds of colorful gourds, and these turnips, which we we've never eaten in our family.

Looked it up when I got it home, and a few sites said it has a "fresh" flavor, akin to radish, but very very mild?

Chopped it into manageable pieces, boiled till water went low, strained a tiny bit out, mashed, some milke and butter, added some pureed garlic, salt, pepper,

yum!

Can these things work with pressure cooking? My aunt just gave one for last Christmas, powerful ju ju

gogo

[Knuckles 904]

Can't help you there, the last time I ate a turnip was also my first time lol...and that was a loooong time ago

[gogoblender 3,072]

I think it was that word "refreshing" in the write up that intrigued me...plus that it was on sale^^

And, yeah, refreshing... still can't exactly state what it tastes like? Cept, it's got a great, robust flavor (ahh!, is that what refreshing means? ) , I think this will be a repeat buy

 

gogo

[chattius 2,535]

We eat thousands a year...

But we saw them really dense so there will be no underground fruits. The green parts above ground are eaten like spinach. It is called Stielmus or Ruebstiel.

 

http://en.foodlexicon.org/s0001050.php

 

For the underground fruit, I think the english plants are softer in taste. We use to do: grated with some onions and wild carrots. Egg, some buckwheat and then baked in a pan like potato pancakes. Old recipe using local plants, less calories than potato pancakes. Found an english turnip pancake recipewhich is a bit different.

 

http://andloveittoo.com/turnip-pancakes/

 

 

Most people just serve them cut in pieces with butter, but our local turnips are strong in taste. So pancakes or a stew with wild beef.

[wolfie2kX 528]

Yah.. Like Chattius was saying - they cook like spuds.. And yes, turnip greens are a bit of a delicacy in the southern US... Sauté them with a bit of salt, butter, garlic and BACON and you got yourself some soul food...

[gogoblender 3,072]

We eat thousands a year...

But we saw them really dense so there will be no underground fruits. The green parts above ground are eaten like spinach. It is called Stielmus or Ruebstiel.

 

http://en.foodlexicon.org/s0001050.php

 

For the underground fruit, I think the english plants are softer in taste. We use to do: grated with some onions and wild carrots. Egg, some buckwheat and then baked in a pan like potato pancakes. Old recipe using local plants, less calories than potato pancakes. Found an english turnip pancake recipewhich is a bit different.

 

http://andloveittoo.com/turnip-pancakes/

 

 

Most people just serve them cut in pieces with butter, but our local turnips are strong in taste. So pancakes or a stew with wild beef.

 

lol, thousands... I'm a turnip newbie!

Yah.. Like Chattius was saying - they cook like spuds.. And yes, turnip greens are a bit of a delicacy in the southern US... Sauté them with a bit of salt, butter, garlic and BACON and you got yourself some soul food...

 

I'll give yours and Chattius' suggestion a try, always up for soul food, you had me sold at bacon

 

 

gogo

[Flix 5,117]

Yep as a southern boy I was raised on turnip greens....don't think I've ever had the root part in my whole life though!

[Hooyaah 2,827]

A nice mixture of greens (top of plant above the root) is really tasty when mixed and served together, not to mention all of the great nutritional value, lack of effective carbs, and zero fat content. I am especially partial to an even blending of Mustard, Spinach, and Turnip greens. Like Wolfie said, just add some bacon (or ham/ham bone) and bake some cornbread, fix some blackeyed peas and you have a proper southern style meal. Bon appetit!

[chattius 2,535]

When I said thousands, most of it are the greens

Wonder if german emigrants in texas created this southern style...

[wolfie2kX 528]

Yep as a southern boy I was raised on turnip greens....don't think I've ever had the root part in my whole life though!

 

I have.. They're a lot like potatoes when boiled and mashed. I find it hard to tell the difference actually.

 

When I said thousands, most of it are the greens

Wonder if german emigrants in texas created this southern style...

 

Doubt it. Various greens - turnip, mustard and the like were predominantly the cuisine of the slaves here in the U.S.. And it wouldn't have been Texas. You'd have to go further east - Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, and so forth. Texas, at that time, belonged to Mexico.

 

The plantation owners would get the "good" stuff - namely the root vegetables, the slaves would get the leftovers - in other words, the greens.

 

The cooks of the day had to be super creative with what they were given to work with. They couldn't do the same sort of "high end" foods the plantation owners were having as they weren't allowed to have it or be given any. So they did their own thing - turnip greens, fried chicken, red beans and rice - all classic soul food offerings - all of these came from that era.

 

And also, I'm thinking the turnips you find here in the US are more likely the English variety as they have a very mellow flavor.

 

 

A nice mixture of greens (top of plant above the root) is really tasty when mixed and served together, not to mention all of the great nutritional value, lack of effective carbs, and zero fat content. I am especially partial to an even blending of Mustard, Spinach, and Turnip greens. Like Wolfie said, just add some bacon (or ham/ham bone) and bake some cornbread, fix some blackeyed peas and you have a proper southern style meal. Bon appetit!

 

Damn it.. Now you got me hungry!

Edited October 9, 2013 by wolfie2kX

[chattius 2,535]

Ahh that is the difference. Our turnip greens are created by placing the seeds so dense that there is no underground fruit developing. The greens are way softer and more tastier this way.

We have 5 different turnips not for turnip greens. The difference is mainly if they are planed for early use in year, in summer, for storage over winter, ...

 

And you don't have to be a slave to eat the not so good food. 200 years ago people here sold (or had to give away in times of starving) the good food to towns and used the leftovers for themself being very creative in recipes. In the afterwar years these old recipes got popular again.

 

There was a time when german nobles tried to make Texas a sort of german colony in the 1840ties. So after Alamo but before Texas was a state of the USA and before 1848 germany had its revolution.

New Braunfels was founded by settlers from my area in this time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adelsverein

 

And for GoGo a recipe for a party: Sausage Salade with turnips

ring of Fleischwurst (600 gramm pork sausage, something like polony, ring bologna) cut in stripes

red and green paprica, cut in stripes

6 Mairüben (may turnips, our softest) cut in stripes after removing the skin

3 red onions, cut in stripe

bit oil, salt, pepper, vinegar, fine cut herbs

 

Not for vegans, but has all a body needs

[gogoblender 3,072]

Had a great read this morning here with you guys, that bacon really gave me ideas and all of a sudden it "clicked" how this thing is like cole slaw? It's a kind of cruciferous vegetable right?

Soon to get groceries, I'll see about mashing half agin, and doing some kind of bacon slaw with the other half.

 

U guys keep talking about the greens though, dunno if my grocery store has it, I'll check.

 

 

gogo

[wolfie2kX 528]

No.. Turnips are not considered cruciferous.

 

Cruciferous literally means "like a crucifix" and vegetables that fit this description would be things like any of the following:

 

Celery

Lettuce (all varieties)

Cabbage (all varieties)

Brussels Sprouts

Bok Choy (baby and normal varieties)

 

Basically - any leafy or stalky vegetable that has leaves/stalks that alternate mostly north/south with east/west...

 

The turnip plant produces distinct two crops - turnip roots and turnip greens.

 

Turnips roots are like potato, carrot, parsnip, celeriac (celery root) and so forth.

[gogoblender 3,072]

okay

 

gogo

[wolfie2kX 528]

What can I say.. I used to live with a trained chef.. Taught me a lot about foods and the like.

[gogoblender 3,072]

Love your food posts

and I gotta say, I was caught off guard by this as well

I used to have this image in my head as cruciferous as being stuff like brocolli, cauliflower, etc... never a turnip... turnips come across more as root veggies to me.... akin to a potatoe from teh outside... ?

but when you cut into it, it's texture is kinda soft, and they say you can eat it raw

 

gogo

[chattius 2,535]

Cruciferous, I think we call them Kreuzbluetler, blossoms in a cross shape.

Most have mustard oils, at least our turnip roots have it in the skin. So cut the skin away brfore eating raw. I use to do it with the sausage salade with may turnips.

[gogoblender 3,072]

lol, never did quite "get" that appelation

 

 

gogo

[gogoblender 3,072]

And more delicious info...

they're a non-starchy vegetable, and apparently, because they have a very low calorie count, they have a very low "load"...first time I've heard of that, I'll have to research more... but turnips are touted as a way of getting mashed potaotes out of our diet ^^

Are turnips low on the Glycemic Food List

 

gogo

[chattius 2,535]

How many sorts do they have?

They use to be from eggsize to pumpkin size. And there areas here which carve turnips like others do pumpkins. You know: halloween approaching, start carving. For turnips you hole the inside and carve just the red outer skin, so no holes in the images. The top is lifted with some toohpicks normally to let exygen for the tea light in.

Depending on the sort you use: the stripes carved away from the inside can be used for the sausage salade some posts ago. We aren't producing any waste, aren't we

A ceramic tealight burner to place the turnip outside. It is fed with old remains from candles ,wax drops, ... So even no aluminium cups from the tea light as waste.

[Flix 5,117]

Ah, the glycemic load - incredibly important concept for maintaining healthy weight and fit physique. If you look at my pics in the members section you will see both a very chunky Flix and a much slimmer version. That's all because I became conscious of keeping my glycemic load in each meal looooooow. Almost any and all manner of vegetables replaced bread and starch in my diet. Unless I was specifically doing an activity that required stamina and endurance (which I rarely do) there was no place for super-starchy foods. Cruciferous vegetables in particular became my best friends.

[Delta! 987]

And more delicious info...

they're a non-starchy vegetable, and apparently, because they have a very low calorie count, they have a very low "load"...first time I've heard of that, I'll have to research more... but turnips are touted as a way of getting mashed potaotes out of our diet ^^

Are turnips low on the Glycemic Food List

 

 

gogo

 

the Glycemic load is also something new to me now gogo... but I was wondering about certain foods that I have seen on the high list, and thought "really? like seriously...? that is unexpected!"

good to always learn something new, and I will try to incorporate more turnips in my diet, seeing how healthy they are.

 

Delta!

[gogoblender 3,072]

How many sorts do they have?

They use to be from eggsize to pumpkin size. And there areas here which carve turnips like others do pumpkins. You know: halloween approaching, start carving. For turnips you hole the inside and carve just the red outer skin, so no holes in the images. The top is lifted with some toohpicks normally to let exygen for the tea light in.

Depending on the sort you use: the stripes carved away from the inside can be used for the sausage salade some posts ago. We aren't producing any waste, aren't we

A ceramic tealight burner to place the turnip outside. It is fed with old remains from candles ,wax drops, ... So even no aluminium cups from the tea light as waste.

 

 

lol, good lord Chattius, it's like these things can do everything

Ah, the glycemic load - incredibly important concept for maintaining healthy weight and fit physique. If you look at my pics in the members section you will see both a very chunky Flix and a much slimmer version. That's all because I became conscious of keeping my glycemic load in each meal looooooow. Almost any and all manner of vegetables replaced bread and starch in my diet. Unless I was specifically doing an activity that required stamina and endurance (which I rarely do) there was no place for super-starchy foods. Cruciferous vegetables in particular became my best friends.

 

I get you on the weight loss. I remember when I started really looking at my diet, when I stopped eating so much processed starch, all of a sudden I couldn't keep weight on it seemed!

Interesting how you mention GI as a way to control weight though, was that how it came up for you, or was it regarding watching blood sugar?

 

And more delicious info...

they're a non-starchy vegetable, and apparently, because they have a very low calorie count, they have a very low "load"...first time I've heard of that, I'll have to research more... but turnips are touted as a way of getting mashed potaotes out of our diet ^^

Are turnips low on the Glycemic Food List

 

 

gogo

 

the Glycemic load is also something new to me now gogo... but I was wondering about certain foods that I have seen on the high list, and thought "really? like seriously...? that is unexpected!"

good to always learn something new, and I will try to incorporate more turnips in my diet, seeing how healthy they are.

 

Delta!

 

Ah, yeah, GI is that sugar spike we get when we eat junk foods with loads of sugar, like soft drinks or chips (aieeeeeeeeeeeee, poutine, aieeeeeeeeeee ) ...but apparently, just looking at the GI of foods isn't enuff... on top of that we have to reconcile against how much fat we're eating which can slow down the sugar spike, as well as the calory value of the food itesel...like celery for instance...all fibre, almost no calories, great food item if you can add it raw to salads, and a winner for a diabetic diet

and speaking of which, heck Theuns, u did not even say if you have ever just plain ole eaten a turnip yet!

 

gogo

[Delta! 987]

heck Theuns, u did not even say if you have ever just plain ole eaten a turnip yet!

 

gogo

I have tasted them before gogo, but only since I have moved to Stellenbosch, my parents never bought it when we where younger, and because of that I have never made it myself because I didn't know about it. But I will def try to get some and do different things in the kitchen, boil, roast, grill, fry, sautee, poach, make a soup... well a lot of possibilities.

 

Delta!

[gogoblender 3,072]

No turnip desert?

 

 

gogo