Salad turnips are excellent either raw or cooked. Raw salad turnips have a refreshing, tangy flavor similar to a mild radish, and cooked salad turnips are pleasantly sweet.

Salad turnips are less starchy and have a higher moisture content than traditional purple top turnips, but can be used well in most traditional turnip recipes. They are delicious baked, mashed or roasted.

The tops are “turnip greens”, packed with nutrients and flavor. Try them in sautés and soups, or in a marinated salad. For best quality in storage, remove the tops from the roots, and store separately.

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‘Hakurei’ White Asian Turnips are mild and sweet. We love to slice them into fresh salads or snack on them raw. Try them with other dipping vegetables to update the traditional crudite vegetable platter. Or use a sliced round in place of a cracker for your favorite spread, like hummus or baba gannoush.

Candied Turnips

• ½ oz. butter
• 4 oz. Worden Farm turnips, batonnet
• ½ oz. sugar
• 2 Tbsp honey
• To taste salt, kosher
• To taste pepper, white
• 1 tsp orange zest
• 1 tsp parsley, minced

1. Clean and prepare turnips. Blanch turnips In boiling water for 1 minute; shock
   in ice water. Drain and reserve.
2. Combine butter, turnips, sugar, honey, and orange zest in a small pan. Let set
   for 20 minutes.
3. Place pan on medium heat and simmer until turnips are tender and all liquid is
   reduced and a glaze has formed; adjust seasoning. Finish with chopped
   parsley.

Recipe by Chef Jason Osborne, Chef Instructor for Charlotte Technical Center

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‘Scarlet Queen’ Red Salad Turnips are a bit spicier than the White Asian. Magenta skin, white flesh, and often a magenta star in their heart, their beautiful coloring makes them perfect for holiday plates and displays. They are crunchy and zesty in salads. The tops are also excellent for cooking and using in soups.

Red Turnip and Potato Puree with Greens and Cilantro Chutney

Puree

Yield: 4 to 8 servings

• 1 large bunch red turnips with tops (about 2 ½ pounds). Tops washed and chopped, roots diced
• 1 ½ pounds potatoes, diced
• 1 ½ cup water
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/3 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

1. Place the diced potatoes and turnips in a pot with about 1-½ cups
   water. Cover, and bring to a boil. Cook for about 20 minutes, until soft.
   Drain off the excess water reserving it for later.
2. While the roots are cooking, steam or pressure-cook the greens until
   tender.
3. When the turnips and potatoes are tender, blend the potatoes and
   turnips to a puree, using an immersion blender. Add as much leftover
   cooking water as needed to create the desired texture. Add salt and
   pepper to taste.
4. Heat the olive oil in a skillet and toast the pumpkin seeds until they
   are brown.
5. To assemble, place a mound of puree in a serving dish and top it
   with the greens. Spoon the chutney over the greens and finish it off
   with a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds.

Chutney

Yield: about 1 ½ cups

• 2 teaspoons toasted cumin seeds, ground
• 2 teaspoons toasted fennel seeds, ground
• 4 cups cilantro, washed well
• 1 ½ inch piece ginger, chopped
• ¼ cup lime juice, may substitute lemon
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon salt

1. Place the seeds in a dry skillet and stir over high heat until they are brown and fragrant. Transfer to a blender grind to a powder.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and blend, using a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the blender, if necessary.

Recipes by Vicki Chelf