Heather says:
The poor neglected turnip is a great winter vegetable. You know people’s diets have become quite narrow when the cashier at the grocery store turns the turnip over, looks at it closely and then says, “What is this?” Broaden your vegetable horizons and embrace the lowly turnip.
This particular seasonal side dish is easily converted to vegetarian or vegan. Just use olive oil and vegetable stock instead of the butter and chicken stock.
Here’s your printable shopping list.
Turnips Carrots and Onions
Turnips Carrots and OnionsIngredients:
- 2 TBSP butter, olive oil, or bacon grease
- 1 TBSP cooking sherry or vermouth (skip it if you don’t have it)
- 1 ½ sweet, yellow onion (Vidalia or Walla Walla for example)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 lb white turnips, peeled and cubed (make the cubes smallish no more than 1/2″ thick or so)
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into thin coins
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1/2 cup stock – vegetable or chicken
- 1 TBSP balsamic vinegar
- salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Choose a heavy skillet or pot with a lid. Heat your chosen fat, uncovered over low heat. Add the sherry or vermouth if you’d like and give it a quick stir to be sure it gets incorporated into your fat.
Add the onions, garlic, and thyme to the pan. Continue cooking over low heat until the onions are soft and translucent. Â Add the carrots and turnips to your pan, add the stock, and cover. Cook over low heat for 20 minutes or until the carrots and turnips are fork tender. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to taste and toss to coat. (You don’t actually have to toss the food, a good stir will do.)
Submitted to 
I can't say I've ever had a turnip! So strange – I'm usually up for just about any new type of food. I guess they just haven't crossed my path? This looks good, though!
hmm…i tried turnips once before, i roasted them, and i was unimpressed. i thought they were kind of bland. maybe they deserve a second try. what about substituting white wine for the vermouth or sherry? sounds like a good excuse to open up a bottle…
So far, raw is the only way I have liked turnips, but I'm willing to them this way. I really need to make myself eat more veggies on a regular basis. It's not that I don't like them…more that it doesn't occur to me that I should make side dishes until the main dish is done.
Yes, I know, it comes back to menu planning. *Rolls eyes at self. Again.*
That goes on my must-try list. I am always looking for a new way to do turnips – they do seem to be a forgotten food, and I have lost track of how many times I've had that exact reaction from a grocery store checker. I like to put celery seed with cooked turnips, also black pepper.
BTW, if you can get really fresh, juicy turnips, they are good raw, too. Quarter and slice thin like radishes or cube small and use on tossed salads or in bean or pasta salads. When I was a kid, given the choice between an apple and a fresh turnip for a snack, I would eat the turnip. Yeah, I was weird. ;o)
The turnips I used for this dish were awesome. They looked like every other turnip, but had hardly any of the earthy bitterness I usually associate with the vegetable. I don't mind a little bit of that flavor, but sometimes it can be a bit harsh.
White wine would definitely work, just don't get heavy handed.