November 15, 2019 By divas can cook 20 Comments. 1. I decided to use a variety of iron-rich foods to bring my iron to a healthy level before trying supplements, and boy is it working! It grows up to 5-6 inches in diameter and has a mellow taste if harvested early, at 3-4 inches size, like regular turnips. Or I dice one up and add it to turnip greens (the top part of the turnip). If thoroughly boiled, like 10 minutes, they lose that completely and taste like spinach. Try turnip greens in this Tempeh and Turnip Greens Soup. If you have some turnips that are older and getting past their best, then adding them to curry or similar dishes can help mask any bitter flavor. Although the intensity of flavor will vary between cultivars, and depending on when the mustard was grown and harvested, all different subspecies of mustards have a peppery flavor, not unlike mustard seed or prepared mustard. I use to think I didn’t like turnip greens but it was only because steps weren’t made to lessen the bitter taste. Turnips migrated to European countries and at one time were a staple for the Roman army, although they were never popular with some Romans - a turnip was usually the vegetable of choice to thrown at unpopular public figures! I have neither symptom but know so many people who do. You can use a few simple cooking methods or recipe additions to make your turnip greens less bitter and even more delicious. Purple turnips can have a mild, slightly sweet taste -- or they can taste like wood. For me its an exercise in digestive torture. Woolton Pie soon disappeared from the menus after the end of the war, although the carrot cake, another UK wartime austerity food, still has pride of place on many menus! But I do remember that I loved to mix it with white rice. Although turnips are nutritionally valuable, their greens are even better. They can be eaten raw like radishes, or cooked (turnip greens are very popular) and are often served mashed or roasted alongside other root vegetables. Turnips will store frozen for at least six months. The leaves or greens of turnips are also edible, which makes them a zero-waste crop! Their yellow flesh is also much stronger tasting than turnips! This cruciferous vegetable has a bitter taste … A high fiber diet can also play a valuable in role in weight control as it helps us feel fuller for longer and keeps our blood sugar levels stable. Kind of like radishes – bold and spicy! Thank God for Dr. Google and people sharing their personal stories because even a hospital stay for heart palpitations with lots of tests missed this. Not really like anything else. Even just mashing them up with some potato and cream cheese will not only add some fresh flavor, but also some essential nutrition to your meal. Leaves are high in protein, Omega-3 fatty acid, and many vitamins and minerals including iron. Thank you soooo much, becauae i’ve had to change my menu for iron increase. Many folks who don’t like turnips do like mashed turnips with potatoes, in which chunks of peeled potato and turnips are cooked together until both are tender. Taste broth and season with salt & black pepper. Apparently I’ve been im this battle for over 5 years and was never told what was the root of the problem. Think of it as a cross between a cabbage and a turnip with purple-green skin. Vitamin C  helps your body absorb more iron from the foods you eat. Turnips are often added to Asian recipes, especially soups. In addition to the usual suspects like kale and spinach, there are many types of greens that are packed with vitamins A and C, calcium, iron, fiber, and folic acid. Young, or baby turnips are usually tender, sweet and crunchy, although some turnip varieties may have more of a tangy flavor to them. 4. A turnip is an edible tuber, formally known as Brassica rapa, and widely cultivated all over the world for food.The whitish to yellow roots are edible and store well, and the greens can be eaten like spinach or grazed as a cover crop by farm animals. If they feel lighter, then they will probably be woodier. Rutabaga greens are a bit closer to cabbage or collard greens in flavor and texture, and they are not as tangy as turnip greens. Today may be the last one i need Hallelujah! Your email address will not be published. Turnip greenscontain numerous different types of important nutrients such as copper. I guess it’s a southern thing but I’m not into my greens having a firm texture at all. This is because cruciferous vegetables contain some compounds that may help protect against cancer, or even slow down the progression of cancer cells. 2. What Is a Turnip? You had me at “home cured.” ️. Learn how your comment data is processed. 2. Smaller leaves are preferred, but the bitter taste of larger leaves can be reduced by pouring off the water from the initial boiling and replacing it with fresh water. Just like kale, they're full of Vitamin K. Best suited to cooler climates, even though the turnip (Brassica rapa) is a root, or more accurately, a combined lower stem and upper portion of taproot, it is not a root vegetable, Instead, it is a brassica. With a round shape and slightly flattened top, this is a smaller turnip and with a diameter of between 1" and 3" it resembles a white radish. While the bitterness in the turnip greens is a key part of its flavor, it can also make this vegetable difficult to eat. Just avoid cooking them overlong as their flavor will intensify which can allow them to overpower other vegetables. Cover and simmer for an additional 10- 20 minutes or until greens are tender to your liking. They’re spicy enough to get your nose tingling, but the longer they’re cooked, the tamer they become. I’ll get into all that in a minute but, first, let’s talk about these soul food turnip greens! https://divascancook.com/soul-food-turnip-greens-recipe-how-to-make This is a tender turnip with a mild, yet spicy flavor. They can be peeled and prepared in exactly the same way as you would potatoes. As a cruciferous vegetable high in fiber it can cause digestive discomfort. The taste will vary depending on what variety the turnips are, as well as if they are young or older. As a cruciferous vegetable, turnips are also linked with lower cancer risk. Read More Turnips should always be washed before using, even if you are going to peel them. Cooked turnips turn soft and velvety—a little … What Do Turnips Taste Like? To help you “turnip” the heat in your kitchen, we’ve created a quick and easy guide on how to cook turnips. I was always taught to pour off the first water but, I never knew why. I’ve searched for years for a recipe that taste like my Grandmother use to make and these hit the mark! Nothing but soul! The greens of the turnip taste a lot like the root, so you can expect peppery notes in the greens from fall turnips, and a sunnier zip on the tender spring turnip leaves. They are so good! If you cut away the flesh over this line (towards the center), you will cut away the more fibrous material that is naturally close to the skin of the turnip. The turnip is a biennial plant but is usually only grown as an annual. The gold ball turnip grows in a golden-yellow flesh and skin, with a mildly sweet, almond-like flavor. ALL of the low-iron symptoms that I’ve had for over 6 years (heart palpitations, ice cravings, extremely brittle nails, fatigue, dry hair, occasional dizziness, brain fog) have gone away completely. For many centuries, turnips were common food for the poor, as well as for livestock, and in countries such as the UK, this meant that turnips had an image problem! As farmers were encouraged to undertake four-field crop rotation with turnips, clover, barley and wheat, this meant that not only did fields not need to be left fallow for a year, but the turnip crop meant that livestock could be fed during winter rather than having to be slaughtered in the fall. This is a sweet and crunchy turnip raw and when cooked, it has a buttery flavor. Your email address will not be published. Hopefully, this post will help someone else out there! Blend all these super ingredients with some water to get a delicious and refreshing drink in a jiffy. I am not adding the meat either and using vegetable broth.. Mine still taste like a vegetable and the home cured meat is a lot better than anything you can buy at a store. Also try this recipe for vegan collard greens. Acids, like vinegar and citrus juice, help to brighten up bitter greens and provide a light contrasting flavor. It has to be said that turnips have never been the most fashionable of vegetables, and for many, this unfashionable vegetable is often best avoided at the grocery store! Popular in the southern region of the United States, turnip greens are often considered bitter, similar in taste to mustard or dandelion greens. Cook the turnip in a savory salty broth. Texture: Hearty. Dandelion Greens Turnips' slight spiciness results in a flavor that's somewhere between potato and radish. Required fields are marked *, Copyright © 2020 Divas Can Cook, LLC 
 | Privacy Policy Discolsure Policy. Also consider foods for diabetics and people with HBP. These greens are members of the cabbage family. Garlic, hot peppers, bacon, lemon juice or vinegar are traditional seasonings for turnip greens. Peel the skin off to reveal a yellowy-orange flesh with a sweet, earthy and slightly bitter and peppery flavour. Down Home Southern Cooking is the best! Mustard greens, collards and turnip greens are all easy to prepare and make a delicious side dish anytime. With older turnips, you can also peel and quarter them and mix them with some olive oil, salt and pepper. Turnip greens grown in full sun tend to have a stronger pungency and bitterness than those grown in partial sun. It appears there was a lot of sense in turning to turnips in times of conflict or food shortages, as they are a nutritious vegetable. Turnips can also be grilled. To serve four people, look to buy around 2 lbs. The gold ball turnip grows in a golden-yellow flesh and skin, with a mildly sweet, almond-like flavor. It seems that the role of turnips in history has probably contributed to its lack of appeal to many of us today. I like to purchase the precut and washed bags if they are on sale. Here are the 2 ways to eat radish greens: 1. I can't quite describe the taste because my grandmother used to cook it when I was a child. Although looking like a rutabaga; in fact the two are often confused, turnips are smaller and taste more like a cross between cabbage and radish - a sweet and slightly peppery flavor with a crisp white inner. So how do you eat radish greens? Not happening. Learn more about the turnip plant, its origins, physical description, uses, and cultivation. greens, how to cook, how to wash, soul food, turnip. But not a whole cup, greens are not kool aid. FoodSharkmarfa is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. With a background in biomedical sciences and management, Bella also enjoys trying out new gadgets and techniques in her kitchen and does her best to never throw food in the trash! Turnips are rich in fiber which not only aids digestive health, but a high fiber diet is also linked with reduced risk of intestinal disorders such as diverticulitis. I’m sure cooking turnip greens in plain water is the healthiest way. Turnip stalks or greens are often available late spring when producers have thinned out their commercial turnip crops, and if available, these should not be trashed, instead if they are green and crisp, then you can rinse and quickly steam them. Turnip greens have , to my tastebuds, an unpleasant radish/mustard green "bite" (not necessarily bitterness, but some might call it that) if not well-cooked. Like similar root vegetables, turnip’s flavor shifts slightly when cooked. Often grown alongside rutabaga as a cool-season crop, turnips are faster growing than rutabaga, with some varieties being ready to harvest within six weeks of germination. You can mix them with other salad greens for a unique lettuce mix. You can then cook them as normal. The tastemay resemble the taste of mustard greens as it is very pungent. It’s definitely working, though! They can be slightly bitter or sweet depending on the variety. Try it, it won't hurt the worst is that you won't like it lol . LOL, meaning for those of you who don’t know, it means the food was Good!! If you enjoy the pepperiness of arugula, you’ll probably like the spicy, horseradish-like bite of mustard greens. Just boiling turnips in salted water and serving them up is far from the best way to enjoy them! My cousin, “Dr. This goes for texture, too: raw turnips have a crisp, starchy flesh. Method #3 and #4 are my go-to’s! Fats including olive oil work well to tame bitter flavors, as does including some salt in the recipe. Mustard Greens If you've never eaten raw mustard greens, be prepared for your first taste: they have a bite. My stews and chilis also get big bunches of chopped greens in them. Texture-wise, it’s similar to a potato, making the turnip a suitable substitute for starches in most recipes. The younger and smaller they are, the better they will taste, so pick early or search through your grocer's produce display for turnips with a diameter of 3 inches or less. They can also be added to a variety of soups and stews with other vegetables, or if you have young turnips, then they can be grated or shredded and added raw to salads or mixed in with homemade slaw. They have a bitter taste andthey are smaller than collards. Yet father-in-law insists everyone eat some at his boiled dinners. I am thinking it will be so good anyway… Thank you for giving me ideas. Apparently, an iron test isn’t standard in bloodwork, which is crazy to me. Turnip can be found in Italian risottos and pickled turnips are popular in Japan and the Middle East. Cook the turnips greens in plain water first, pour off the water and then proceed with the recipe. If you are lucky enough to buy your turnips with the greens still attached, then separate them when you get home. What Do Mustard Greens Taste Like? Note: Use gold ball turnips with carrots in soups or stews as they taste amazing. These are much larger vegetables with a dirty white bottom, deep purple top and a waxy coating. Do not like the texture, smell or taste of collard greens. Turnips are root crops – just like carrots. Turnips often have a deep purple hue with a white top—but there are many varieties. Turnips will still be firm, not seriously misshapen or have soft rot or other types of serious damage. https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/patrick-and-gina-neely/ginas- (You can eat the greens of almost any root vegetable, including carrots and parsnips). If this is a problem for you, then when preparing turnips, cut the top and bottom off and look for a line about a quarter of an inch in from the skin. All because my regular and stored iron was empty and my body was pulling frim other areas and draining. Not all greens are created equal.While mustard greens are spicy, swiss chard is mild and versatile. The Best Turnips to Plant for Greens. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. These are very small marble-sized turnips that have white flesh and a flavor that is a cross between radish and apple. Peel away the purple-and-white skin with a vegetable peeler or paring knife if you like, but with small turnips, the skin is tender enough to leave on. White Globe turnips are similar in flavor but lack the purple top. Health benefits of turnip greens include the ability to maintain strong bones. Varieties of turnip grown specifically for their leaves resemble mustard greens and have small or no storage roots. Loved your article! I ho, I LOVE food traditions!!! Not everyone loves the intense bitterness these greens have when left wild and untamed. Only difference is she did not use liquid smoke but I like it better with the smokey flavor. Turnip greens contain a healthy dose of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. During the eighteenth century, turnips contributed to improved crops in the UK. A few weeks ago, I learned that I had low-iron anemia. Milk, salt and pepper go in as the drained vegetables are mashed. Do you know? I get nauseated just getting near the boiling pot. Curly mustard (aka American mustard, Southern mustard), which has very frilly leaves, and looks similar to curly kale. These soul food turnip greens are first washed and scrubbed several times (a must) and then cut into pieces. (this will help further lessen the bitterness). I never thought I would fix collard greens … (You can eat the greens of almost any root vegetable, including carrots and parsnips). I wish she was here to taste them! Sometimes turnips greens will have a strong bite if they aren’t cooked long enough. > Loved for its nutrient-rich leaves that are used fresh as a cooked spring green, or dried for use in tea. (Find the best farmers market near you.) Monique, as we say in the South: You put your foot in this. Instead, mashing them is one of the simplest and tasty ways to serve up turnips. of turnips. Any tips on adding mustard greens to the turnips? Otherwise, the turnips should keep for about two weeks in the refrigerator. My personal favorite is stinging nettles. The most common types of turnips seen in grocery stores are purple top varieties such as Purple Top White Globe. I’m feeling like a new person these days and it’s crazy how I didn’t even realize how worn down I was. Turnip greens are just like turnips: kind of sweet, kind of spicy, kind of bitter, occasionally smelly, but ultimately delicious. Besides eating these soul food turnip greens to help boost my iron-absorbtion, I also added other healing, iron-rich foods to my diet. These contain more vitamins A, C and K, folate and calcium than turnips. Rutabagas are great for roasting and stewing, and in hearty soups, like beef barley, chicken soup, and in a roasted root vegetable platter … How To Cook Turnip Greens (Soul Food Style). Knowing how to get rid of the bitter taste and be left with tender, flavorful greens requires knowing a few tricks. Dark green, leafy vegetables like collards, mustard greens, turnip greens and spinach are very different, yet they have similarities. Boooo, hiss. I then add about 1/2 teaspoon baking soda to the broth and  simmer for the last 20 minutes. Turnips are popular in a number of European countries, including Finland where mashed turnip is bound with breadcrumbs and eggs and a little brown sugar is added. Celery and Turnip Magic: Extract juice of tart apple, pear, celery, purple-top turnip, turnip greens, and serrano chile. My goodness, can I tell a night and day difference! Today’s sharing on turnips really caught my eye because of your transparency about anemia. They’re often bitter and can be harvested as “baby turnips” to maintain a milder taste if you’re looking to eat them raw. At more specialist grocery stores, or farmer’s market, you can be lucky to find other varieties such as baby bunch turnips. rapa) is a root vegetable commonly grown in temperate climates worldwide for its white, fleshy taproot.The word turnip is a compound of turn as in turned/rounded on a lathe and neep, derived from Latin napus, the word for the plant.Small, tender varieties are grown for human consumption, while larger varieties are grown as feed for livestock. Thank You for posting recipe! Purple turnips can have a mild, slightly sweet taste -- or they can taste like wood. Turnip greens can also take the place of spinach or chard in recipes. In the midst of the kale craze, the reasons some nutritious greens get the cold shoulder may have to do with culture, race, and class. They are also very rough and hairy. Turnips taste similar to cabbage with some spicy undertones like a radish but not as intense. 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Day difference sharing on iron enriched foods anyway… Thank you for giving me ideas so low i a... Several times ( a must ) and then proceed with the greens of any!, then as no botanically referred to as Brassica rapa andthe greens are actually grown their! And parsnips what do turnip greens taste like hand, iron affects EVERYTHING, hardy biennial plant but is usually only grown as annual... There is a sign of their taste get a delicious and refreshing drink in a but...