SFist in the Kitchen: Turnips

Our favorite method for cooking turnips is straightforward. Peel, cut into bite-sized pieces, cook in well-salted boiling water until just tender (just a few minutes), drain and shock in an ice bath, drain again and reheat in some form of fat. You can do everything except for the last step well in advance of dinner. We used this technique recently, dressing up the dish by using a melon baller to scoop out the gleaming white flesh and reheating the turnip rounds in a mix of bacon grease and duck fat. We tossed crisped bacon (actually Fatted Calf pancetta) and coarsely chopped thyme into the pan at the last minute, and used the turnip balls as a bed for duck sausage. We poured a nice rosé Champagne alongside.

We also adapted an Art Culinaire recipe by serving a turnip soup over a lightly sautéed mix of finely chopped chorizo sausage, carrots, and poached shrimp. We liked the subtle mix of flavors, and we'll pull this out the next time we need a fancy opener for a winter dinner. If you really want a luxurious treat, turnips and black truffles love each other. But if you're going to combine them, you have to invite us over.

If your turnips come with the greens still attached, chop them off when you get home and steam or stir-fry the tender leaves. Pickle the turnip flesh for a pert condiment for fatty meat, or caramelize peeled turnips by tossing them in oil and salt and baking at 425° for fifteen minutes. No matter how you treat them, don't turn up your nose at the humble turnip.

Recipe: Turnip Soup over Chorizo, Shrimp, and Carrots
inspired by Michael Schlow's Celery Root Soup with Shrimp, Bacon, and Black Truffles, featured in Art Culinaire issue 78
serves 2 as an opener, but leaves you with leftover soup
Turnip Soup:

• a knob of butter
• One large white onion, sliced into thick rounds.
• 4-5 medium turnips, peeled and sliced into thick half-circles
• 1 qt. vegetable stock
• salt and pepper to taste

1) Melt the butter over medium heat.
2) Add onion slices, heat until just aromatic, reduce heat to low, and cover pot for 5-10 minutes, until onions release moisture.
3) Add turnip slices and vegetable stock, increase heat, and bring liquid to a simmer.
4) Cook until turnips are very tender, 10-15 minutes.
5) Strain out turnips and onions, reserving liquid. Place turnips and onions in a food processor with a little of the cooking liquid, and purée. Add more liquid as needed to reach the right consistency.
6) When you're ready to serve, reheat the soup and season to taste.

Base:

• 3-4 large shrimp, shells on
• cooking white wine or white wine vinegar
• one stick of chorizo, cut into small dice
• one small carrot, cut into small dice
• a small dollop of duck fat

1) Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, and add a healty splash of wine or vinegar.
2) Poach shrimp in liquid until shells turn bright pink and meat is firm, about 5 minutes.
3) Remove shrimp and place in an ice bath. When cool, peel shells and chop shrimp finely.
4) Heat duck fat over medium heat, and add carrots. Cook until just tender, and add shrimp and chorizo to reheat.

Assembly: Pack shrimp mixture into the bottom of a tall narrow glass. Spoon turnip soup over the top, serve warm.