OTHER FANTASTIC THANKSGIVING SIDES: Pumpkin-Leek Stuffing with Turkey Sausage; Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes; Farro and Cauliflower Salad with Currants; Brussels Sprouts with Apples, Pistachios, and Creme Fraiche
Happy Birthday to Phoebe!
Now, onto turnips…
The steakhouse meal is one of my favorites. This year, for my birthday, I went with family to Porterhouse in New York City where I ate the best ribeye steak ever, feasted on French fries, mashed potatoes, and onion rings, and rounded out my plate with creamed spinach.
I can tell you about how many cravings a homemade steakhouse meal satisfies for me: the craving for celebration, for comfort food, and, well, for meat. Last year, I made Alex steak, sweet potato fries, and garlicky spinach for his birthday. This summer, I made myself a luxurious filet mignon for one, with roasted Yukon golds and a string bean salad.
But now I want to focus on that most esteemed of steakhouse sides: the little cocotte of creamed spinach. Except, crazily enough, I want to nix the spinach and throw in some turnips—and turnip greens.
I love turnips. They’re a highlight of the fall vegetable yield, but often overlooked I think. Though they look a bit like a parsnip, they have an underlying bite that sweet little parsnips lack. Maybe they’re the crotchety grandpa of the root vegetable world. The greens, like mustard or beet greens, are pretty thick. They need a decent boil, and, in this case, a nice creamy sauce.
Other than that, this side really is a whole lot like creamed spinach. That makes it an ideal fall steakhouse side. Or, serve it at the ultimate celebratory meal, alongside the turkey, at Thanksgiving.
From my kitchen, albeit small, to yours,
Cara, THE QUARTER-LIFE COOK
**Recipe**
Creamed Turnips with Their Greens
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth, or water
1 large bunch turnips (that’s about 10 turnips and 4 cups of greens)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup mlk
1/4 cup heavy cream
freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 onion
1 tablespoon flour
Place the broth if using in a pot fitted with a steamer, the add water to fill it to the highest it goes without hitting the steamer. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, cover, and bring to a boil.
Peel the turnips and cut half of them into a 1/4-inch dice (you won’t be using the other half, but if you want to steam them along with these, go for it-they’ll be perfect for using later in the week). Place them in a steamer basket.
Wash the greens very well in several changes of water and trim off some of the stems. When the water boils, submerge them in the pot, then place the steamer basket with the turnips on top and cover. Cook the turnips 5-6 minutes, until very tender, then remove the basket, give the turnip greens a stir, and cook until tender, another 6 minutes (about 12 minutes total). Drain well and chip into bite-sized pieces.
Heat the milk, green, and several grinds of fresh pepper in a microwave until warm. Set aside.
While the greens are cooking, make the béchamel, adding the other 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add the greens and cook 1-2 minutes, then add the diced turnips and cook until warmed through.
**Fall Fest**
This post is part of Food Network’s Fall Fest! Check out the other great turnip dishes below.
Fall Fest is a season long, bi-weekly event where Food Network editors team up with bloggers to share tips and recipes about what’s available at the market. Here’s what else is cooking with apples today!
The Sensitive Epicure: Roasted Turnips With Olive Oil and Rosemary
Virtually Homemade: Turnip Gratin With Parmesan and Nutmeg
And Love It Too: Turnip Pancakes
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Turnips, Really?
Purple Cook: Vegetable Biryani With Turnips
Glory Foods: Turnip Greens With Potatoes and Mushrooms
Big Girls Small Kitchen: Creamed Turnips With Their Greens
FN Dish: Simply Roasted Turnips
