has any one tried turnips?

conniehgtv
conniehgtv Posts: 309 Member
in Recipes
I am exploring vegatables and want to know what turnips taste like, how to cook them recipes and tips

Replies

  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    They're quite strong and slightly bitter - an acquired taste. Best boiled and mashed with lots of butter, or diced and added to winter stews and soups.
  • MrsSWW
    MrsSWW Posts: 1,585 Member
    I've never had them on their own as a vegetable, but they're nice mashed or crushed with carrots as a side dish, or as Berry says, used to bulk up stews, casseroles etc.
  • feralkitten1010
    feralkitten1010 Posts: 219 Member
    I'm not a fan of turnip greens, but they are a very popular southern dish. Here's a copycat Cracker Barrel recipe:

    http://crackerbarelathome.blogspot.com/2011/08/cracker-barrel-turnip-greens.html
  • krogers810x
    krogers810x Posts: 92 Member
    I love wax turnips (which are actually rutabagas), but I'm not a fan of the little purple and white turnips.

    Boiled and mashed, with milk, butter and a little nutmeg and wax turnips are delicious.
  • HerbertNenenger
    HerbertNenenger Posts: 453 Member
    I grew up on them, but they were always always mashed up with equal parts carrots, to balance out the bitterness. They are the bomb together. They are very hard to peel, cut and take forever to cook, so cook up a whole one with a whole bag of carrots and have it for the week. Deliciousness.
  • snowflake930
    snowflake930 Posts: 2,188 Member
    I was doing a new vegetable a week for a while, both thumbs down to turnips. Yuck!
    Husband did not like them either.
    Probably one taste that I will never acquire.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    The only time I ever cook them is in New England Boiled Dinner (pork shoulder, potato, carrots, onion, cabbage, turnip) and that's only because Hubby likes them. I'm not a huge fan but they're ok, especially paired with the sweeter veggies.

    I've never noticed the difference between the purple top turnips and rutabegas but will have to pay attention next time I try them.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I love turnips...there's somewhere between a radish and horseradish...stronger than a radish, not as intense as horse radish (not even close)...but that same kind of bitter bite. I generally only eat them in the fall and winter months.

    I roast them usually...I also like them in stews and such and mashed with some rutabaga to cut them is pretty good because the rutabaga is kind of sweet. I think for most, they are an acquired taste, but I was raised on those kind of "odd" root vegetables (turnips, parsnips, rutabaga, etc.)
  • conniehgtv
    conniehgtv Posts: 309 Member
    so rutabaga's are similar,but sweeter?
    I LOVE radishes and Horseradish. I am going to experiment with them this weekend.
    Last week end I did blistered green beans-2 thiumbs up

    heat oven to 400 degrees
    parchment paper on cookie sheet
    1 tsp Sesame oil on timmed beans,toss beans & spread on sheet
    sprinkle sesame seeds 1/2 to 1 tbs
    bake for 15-20 mins till "blistered" lookin
    sprinkle with lite soys sauce....YUM!!
  • weightliftingdiva
    weightliftingdiva Posts: 522 Member
    I love turnips! They are bitter, but I like a roasted root vegetable mix (turnips, parsnips, carrots, potatoes etc) to balance out each vegetables individual flavor. A little oil, salt, pepper and a hot oven.
  • allbarrett
    allbarrett Posts: 159 Member
    Can't stand them boiled and mashed, myself. My mother always made this when I was a kid and I used to either try to get out of eating it (no dice) or had to mix the mashed turnips in with either peas or mashed potatoes to eat it (which just ruined the peas or potatoes, IMO).

    I like eating them raw though. They are quite strongly flavoured, crunchy, and can be cut up into sticks and eaten either alone (my preference) or with some kind of dip.

    I've heard baking them is good too, or even roasting on the barbeque, but I've never tried it.
  • JamieD328
    JamieD328 Posts: 976 Member
    I was raised on turnip greens. Every great once in a while we had them cooked with the roots that most people think of when they hear turnips, and I enjoy them, but I can see where they'd not be for everyone.
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    I always grow a row of them in my garden. We love them!

    Agree that mashed or roasted (with other veggies) are best. I've also grilled them before with great success!
  • sistrsprkl
    sistrsprkl Posts: 1,010 Member
    I like them and prepare them the way I do all root veggies. Cut up, tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted in a hot oven. Yum :)
  • DEB6BERREY
    DEB6BERREY Posts: 13 Member
    They are awesome when peeled and thinly sliced and lightly salted. Satisfies that salty craving.
  • DEB6BERREY
    DEB6BERREY Posts: 13 Member
    They are awesome when peeled and thinly sliced and lightly salted. Satisfies that salty craving.
  • lore11a
    lore11a Posts: 166 Member
    I fix turnips two different ways. 1. Boil them in a little water until tender, drain the water, add butter and just a small amount of sugar or sweetner. 2. When I roast veggies I peel and dice a turnip to go with them. Put a little olive oil on the veggies, sprinkle with salt and roast. They turn out really good and sort of sweet. My husband is a picky eater and he even likes them prepared that way.
  • hill8570
    hill8570 Posts: 1,466 Member
    I love them raw...sort of a very mild radish or a strongly-flavored jicama. Peel them like a carrot and enjoy. Like most root veggies, an older one will be bitter and tough.

    I'm not a fan of them cooked -- too mushy. But then I'm not a fan of cooked vegetables in general.
  • ellen_kay
    ellen_kay Posts: 304 Member
    I don't like them cooked, but love them raw. They are kinda like a radish. Parsnips are good also.
  • ellen_kay
    ellen_kay Posts: 304 Member
    Another one you should try is Jicama
  • JulieGirl58
    JulieGirl58 Posts: 158 Member
    I only eat them raw in salads. I much prefer rutabaga. They take a long time to cook. Boil them and when soft, mash them. Boil a couple potatoes and mash those too. Then mash them together. Add a little butter and salt and it is delicious as a side dish. This is actually a Swedish dish called Rutamoose, although I don't know if that is the right way to spell it.
  • radmack
    radmack Posts: 272 Member
    They go well with parsnips too.
  • weightliftingdiva
    weightliftingdiva Posts: 522 Member
    Another one you should try is Jicama


    Jicama is delicious! I had it for the first time in Texas. I heard it described as a cross between a potato and a pear - and although that sounds weird, I think it's true.

    My friend says her family cuts up jicama and serves it with lime and chili powder. I haven't tried it that way but it sounds yummy and healthy.

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