I looked at Root Vegetables this month as there are plenty about and they are very healthy. I do use Turnip in cooking, but it’s mainly as an added vegetable to stews and casseroles or vegetable soups. However, when I started to look at my recipe books I was amazed to find there were many more dishes. The patties were something we cook when in the campervan or camping as they are so easy to do and can be done in a frying pan on a gas stove. Adding Turnips or Swede to mash is a very popular way to hide vegetables when feeding children and I love Butternut Squash and Turnip together in a soup. If you are on a low carb diet then why not try the Turnip Fries as an alternative to chips?
Buen Apetito
Butternut Squash and Turnip Soup
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups of peeled and cubed Butternut Squash
- 2 cups of peeled and cubed Turnip
- I onion diced
- I stick of celery finely chopped
- 1 pint of chicken stock
- 3 cloves of crushed garlic
- 1tbsp honey
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- Salt to taste
Heat the butter and oil in a medium pan, stir in all vegetables and cook until just beginning to brown, (around 10 minutes). Add stock, garlic, honey and seasoning and cook for a further 20 minutes or until all vegetables are soft. Serve chunky or blend to a smooth soup.
Turnip and Potato Patties
- ½lb Turnips, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes (about 1 1/3 cups)
- 6oz Potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 cup)
- 2½ tbsp thinly sliced runner beans
- 1 egg, beaten lightly
- ¼ cup plain flour
- Grapeseed oil, peanut oil, or vegetable oils
- Salt and pepper
In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the Turnip and Potato cubes for 15-17 minutes, until they are tender, then drain them. In a bowl, mash them with a fork and stir in the runner beans, the egg, flour, and salt and pepper to taste. Coat the bottom of a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan with about ¼ inch of the oil. Heat the pan on medium to high heat until the surface of the oil begins to shimmer, but not smoke. Spoon ¼ cup mounds of the Turnip/Potato batter into the pan, flattening them into ½ inch thick patties with the back of a spatula. Fry the patties until they are golden, turning them once, about 4 minutes on each side. Transfer the patties to paper towels to drain off excess oil.
Turnip Fries
- 3lbs Turnips
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder (also known as onion salt)
Preheat oven to 220ºC. Line a baking sheet with a piece of foil and lightly grease. Peel the Turnips and cut into French fry sized sticks, (about 1/3 by 4 inches). Place into a large bowl, and toss with the vegetable oil to coat. Place the Parmesan cheese, garlic salt, paprika and onion powder in a resealable plastic bag and shake to mix. Place the oiled Turnips into the bag and shake until evenly coated with the spices. Spread out onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until the outside is crispy and the inside is tender, (about 20 minutes). Serve immediately.