Small turnips are delicious raw – eat whole or slice thinly. Alternatively, you can steam, roast or braise the roots. Larger turnips are best peeled and steamed, boiled or mashed. Chunks of turnip are often added to casseroles or soups. Try sautéing or steaming the leaves in the same way as spinach, or add them to stews and curries.
READ: A Scottish feast for Burns Night
WHAT ARE TURNIPS?
Turnips are vegetables of the brassica plant family, which also includes broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale and radishes. We mainly eat the root in this country, which is – strictly speaking – actually the swollen stem of the plant. The leaves are also delicious to eat when young and tender. Before the invention of electricity, turnips were sometimes grown in order to extract the oil contained in their seeds – this was used as fuel for lamps.
WHEN ARE TURNIPS IN SEASON?
Turnips are in season for most of the year, starting in June and ending in February.
HOW TO STORE TURNIPS
Remove any leaves and store in a cool, dry place. Transfer to the fridge once cut or peeled.
What are the health benefits?
Turnip is a source of vitamin C, which is used by our bodies for lots of different functions, including helping our nervous system to function properly. Three heaped tablespoons of cooked turnip is a portion of your 5-a-day (one portion of veg or fruit is 80g raw weight).
