what to do with unwanted turnips?

Sep 30, 2009 10 Replies

Two years ago, I bought "kale" seeds in bulk from a local hardware store. About 2/3 of what came up was turnips, which are usually hot tasting (like a radish), and I don 't really like that. (yes, I told the store about the issue at the time)



Well, this year, around August 12 or so, I went back and asked to make sure that these were new seeds, and not the same old stock. They assured me they were. Guess what? about 3/4 of what came up were turnip plants, and only 1/4 were the kale I wanted. Now I have lots of turnips that have usable roots a bit bigger than nice sized radishes, and loads of greens. (a groundhog ate my kale off about 4" up from the base - I don't know if they will recover) The groundhog, of course, didn't bother the turnips at all.



So what can we do with all of these turnip greens? Does anyone have a good casserole type dish recipe that we can make using a good amount of the turnip greens? Thanks!


You can shred them and make a sort of sauerkraut (sauerruben).

Have you tried eating the greens like kale? (the turnip greens will be stronger)

Bob

Try Cooks.com. I've found a number of good recipes for Turnip Greens there. Good Luck!

Horse or cattle feed.

David

zxcvbob;865982]OhioGuy wrote:-

Two years ago, I bought "kale" seeds in bulk from a local hardware store.

About 2/3 of what came up was turnips, which are usually hot tasting (like a

radish), and I don 't really like that. (yes, I told the store about the

issue at the time)

Well, this year, around August 12 or so, I went back and asked to make

sure that these were new seeds, and not the same old stock. They assured me

they were. Guess what? about 3/4 of what came up were turnip plants, and

only 1/4 were the kale I wanted. Now I have lots of turnips that have

usable roots a bit bigger than nice sized radishes, and loads of greens. (a

groundhog ate my kale off about 4" up from the base - I don't know if they

will recover) The groundhog, of course, didn't bother the turnips at all.

So what can we do with all of these turnip greens? Does anyone have a

good casserole type dish recipe that we can make using a good amount of the

turnip greens? Thanks!

-

You can shred them and make a sort of sauerkraut (sauerruben).

Have you tried eating the greens like kale? (the turnip greens will be

stronger)

Bob

this might help u some

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That sounds like a case of 20/20 hind sight.

Andy comments:

Well, I cook them in water and add a little vinegar or soy sauce.

I also add them to the lettuce in salads. They add dimension to the taste.

By the way, you can do the same with radishes. If you boil the radishes for a fewminutes, they will lose all their "hotness" and are something like baby potatoes. The radish greens can be cooked exactly the same as turnip greens. Also, carrot greens can be prepared that way also, tho the taste is a bit different.

Turnnips can be boiled and added to anything, since the boiling removes the "hotness" and the taste is pretty neurtral. Add them to soups, casseroles, etc, and they will be mistaken for potatoes....if they are cut up into thumb sized lumps.

Just some suggestion that I use at home...

Andy in Eureka, Texas

Eureka, birthplace of the only Asian in America that ever failed a high school math test.

i would recommend going to foodnetwork.com to see what they have. it has helped me out in the past and i do feel that it will be able to help you out .

Turnip greens could be used in a lot of southern dishes, boiled or diced with other things. You can also cut it up and put it on a sandwich. Or if all else fails you cans just feed them to animals.

Check out Italian rape recipes, AKA, cime di rape or Brassica rapa.

Most recipes European or American I have eaten are very similiar; a piece of pork, a pepper or two, onions, slow cooking.

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