I grew these, because i had a packet of seeds and space which needed using. Now i'm inundated with them. :o
Does anyone have any tips or recipes to use them up. Ideally things i can then freeze to be used at a later date.
I have put a dozen or so into storage for the colder months.
I'm going to have a go at mashing some with carrots, to use as baby food.
I'm also going to chop some ready for adding to stews, do i need to blanch them first before freezing?
Any other ideas would be most welcome.
Thanks for reading
Wendy
you can pickle them (with beetroot) though i've never tried it
you would have to blanch them for freezing. We usually leave them in the ground
If i leave them in the ground, would they not keep on growing and eventually go past their best?
Should i leave the foilage on and chop it off.
I do a sort of "fresh pickle" that lasts about a week in the fridge but is good to mix in with salads or as a side dish with sausage, pork pies and such thingies.It does not use a lot of turnip but it is a little different.
If you are interested its goes something like this
20 or so pink radish sliced
a couple of turnips very thinly sliced
a couple of carrots cut into julienne like strips
a cucumber cut into julienne like strips
a red pepper sliced thinly
two tablespoons sesame seeds dry roasted
cider vinegar about 75-100mils
mix a tablespoon of salt into veg and leave for 15-30 min to extract juices
squeeze all liquid out mix in sesame seed and cider vinegar and bung in fridge until needed.
I have just had some for lunch with my salad and the great thing is it acts as a dressing and therefore less calories.
p.s. when I left them in the ground they became the size of swede so I always lift, use or freeze
redrichwen - yes they do, though usually the overwintering ones are small from a late sowing. Here's a lovely recipe from the Seeds of Italy website. Might even try it myself
Paolo Arrigo, Seeds of Italy
Rape con Mele e Salame (Turnips with apple and salami)
150g piece of salame
1kg of Turnips (Rossa of Milano or Bianca of Lodi)
4 eating apples
My Nonna used to make this dish and it's typical of the alpine Biellese region (Piemonte), where my family are from. Lets face it, turnips have a bad reputation and are not the most glamorous of vegetables, but I can assure you this is a surprisingly good dish. This type of dish uses common ingredients all ready at the same time - the turnips were harvested with the apples and after the salami and sausages had been made. The sweetness of the apples balances the strong turnip flavour and like many peasant dishes, it is simple, cheap and very tasty. - Santuario d'Oropa, Biella, Piemonte
Firstly, dice a 150g piece of salame and fry. Peel about 1kg of Turnips (Rossa of Milano or Bianca of Lodi) and 4 eating apples. Remove the salame when cooked and add the sliced turnips and apples together in the same pan, and season. Cook slowly for about 40 minutes then add the salame at the end of cooking. Either serve with Polenta or put into preserving jars and boil the jars for 10 minutes, allowing them to cool in the same water before removing. This will hermetically seal the jars and the contents will last about a year in your larder and the flavour will improve.
Thanks for these ideas. Will definitely try them.
May also do a late sowing, as i still have a few seeds left over, then i can pick them small and fresh in the depths of winter.
Thanks again everyone.
So difficult to get at the market - always keep a few in the freezer - unblanched - for the stews that call for them.
Yes - pickled, as RT says, would be great.
I asked hubby the same question, he found a cool website with loads of ideas for seasonal recipies. I think he is currently making chilli non carne :-)
http://www.vegbox-recipes.co.uk/ingredients/turnip.php