Maple-Sage Glazed Turnips

Believe it or not, it has been over a month since I tried a previously untried, or less tried, vegetable from the produce section. As I wait for fall to come upon us with eager anticipation (all those lovely squash .. um!) .. I  have been having some difficulty findings an interesting new veggie to try. All I've been seeing in stores was BEETS ... and well, I'd rather not! Although I have been very adventurous and have tried quite a few new and obscure (to me!) vegetables, I'm still not ready for beets. So I settled on making Turnips - my New Veggie #40. 

Maple-Sage Glazed Turnips

I have eaten turnips before, as a child. It isn't my fondest memory and I wasn't chomping at the bit to try them again. But .. I had tried Rutabaga (#34) not too long ago and really liked it. Everything I've read told me that Rutabaga and Turnips are close in taste .. hence the decision to give Turnips a second ... umm 20th chance :)

In the Indian sub-continent, the most popular recipe is probably mashed turnips with fresh cilantro, turmeric and jaggery. It is often diced and added to meaty stews in place of potatoes as well.  I didn't want to try the same old (and to be very blah!) recipe for turnips. A quick Google search revealed this gem on myrecipes.com. The recipe was perfect for me as it already had no added fat.

Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients:

1. 5 small turnips
2. 1/4 Cup Vegetable Broth
3. 3 tbsp Pure Maple Syrup
4. 3-4 tbsp Fresh Chopped Sage 
5. Red Pepper flakes, to taste
6. Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Trim and peel turnips and cut each into 8 wedges or quarters.

Line a skillet on medium heat with vegetable broth and  mix in maple syrup and a half teaspoon of salt. Add turnips and chopped sage (save a small amount for a garnish). 

Once the liquid comes to a boil, give everything a quick mix, reduce heat to medium low and cover. Cook covered, until turnips are tender (mine took about 8-9 minutes). Uncover and cook until the liquid evaporates and the turnips are glazed. 

Transfer to a serving bowl once done. Garnish with the remainder of the chopped sage, freshly cracked black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Add a sprinkle of sea salt, if needed. 

My Assessment: These turned out great. I will definitely be making turnips again :) And the best part about this dish was the crunchy bits of glazed sage that I picked off the skillet!! Yum!

Veggie Fact of the Day

New Veggie#40 - Turnips

Turnips are a root vegetable belonging to the same family as broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage. They are a low calorie and rich source of Potassium and Vitamin C. It is a small white skinned bulbous root with the parts closest to the soil surface colored purple or red (due to sunlight). Mine look slightly brown after sitting in the fridge for a couple of days, but typically the skin is smooth and crisply white. The flesh on the interior is all white. Turnips greens are also eaten in some countries and they taste like mustard greens. The greens are also rich in Vitamins A, B9 (folic acid), C and K and also lutein. Turnips have been cultivated for over 4000 years and are believed to have originated in Central Asia. Even today, turnips hold a special place in Turkish and middle eastern recipes.