Panch Phoran Shalgam (Indian Turnip Recipe)

Thanks to Blisstree for this spicy Indian turnip dish. Enjoy!

Panch Phoran Shalgam (Indian Turnip Recipe)
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients
4 cups turnips, peeled and cubed
1 cup onion, chopped
4 teaspoons vegetable or canola oil
4 to 8 teaspoons coarsely ground Panch Phoran (see note below)
2 teaspoons turmeric powder
salt, black pepper, or chili flakes, to taste

Directions
1 In a medium pan over medium heat, add vegetable or canola oil. When the oil is hot, add Paanch phoran. Start with 4 teaspoons and add more later, to taste.
2. Mix for a half a minute and then add chopped onion. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until onion is translucent. Add teaspoon turmeric powder and mix.
3. Add turnips, salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Mix well and cook covered on low heat for 10 to 12 minute, or until tender (depends on the size of the cubes). Serve hot as a side.

Panch Phoran is typically made up of a mix of fenugreek seed, Nigella seed, cumin, radhuni, and fennel seed. Celery seed or mustard seed can be used as a substitute for radhuni. The mix can be made at home or purchased at an Indian grocery store.

Dana Mead's Turnip Recipes

I have two recipes with turnips and other root veggies to share. My family has enjoyed both of these and we hope other members will too.

Sincerely,

Dana Mead

Cheesy turnips and carrots (from allrecipes.com)
Prep time 10 minutes; cook time 20 minutes
4+ main dish servings for vegetarians, 8+ side dish servings.

3 cups diced peeled turnips
2 cups sliced carrots
¼ tsp ground ginger
¾ c water
1 tsp salt, divided
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup diced celery
3 Tbs butter or margarine
3 Tbs all purpose flour
¼ tsp pepper
1 ½ cups milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Combine turnips, carrots, ginger, water and ½ tsp salt in a sauce pan, cover and cook on med. high heat until tender ~(10-15 minutes). Drain and reserve liquid.
2. In a skillet sauté onion and celery in butter until tender; stir in flour, pepper and remaining salt.
3. Add milk and vegetable liquid; bring to a boil. Stir until thickened and bubbly.
4. Stir in cheese until melted; stir in the vegetables and heat through.


Vegetable Cornish Pastries (from allrecipes.com; I’ve included my adaptations )
Prep time 30 minutes; cook time 45 minutes; great entrée to serve with a salad or soup.

1 recipe whole wheat pastry dough for a double crust pie (I use packaged refrigerated pie crust)
¼ cup butter (I use olive oil)
1 sliced onion thinly
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1 turnip, peeled and diced small
1 large potato, peeled and diced small
¼ lb mushrooms, chopped
2 Tbs water
1 tsp yeast extract spread (hard to find outside the UK, but home beer brewers might have some on hand; I omit this one)
¼ cup milk
1 egg
¼ lb shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg, beaten

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Divide pastry dough into four equal portions and form into squares.
3. Melt butter in large skillet and sauté onion until translucent and beginning to brown. Add carrot, turnip, potato, mushrooms, and water. Lower heat and cover skillet. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. In a small bowl whisk on egg in milk. Stir into cooked vegetables. Stir until mixture thickens. Add cheese and season to taste. Set aside to cool.
5. Place ¼ of filling on one half of each pastry square. Fold pastry over and seal edges. Brish tops of pastry with beaten egg.
6. Place pasties on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes until pastry is golden brown.

Roasted Turnips with Maple and Cardamom

This recipe is adapted from one of my favorite resources, Fine Cooking. (Originally created by Susie Middleton.)

Roasted Turnips with Maple and Cardamon
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 bunch/bag of purple top turnips, peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes (about 4 to 5 cups)
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoons butter
1 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
a generous pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon ground coriander
⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro (or a mix of parsley and mint) (optional)
salt, to taste

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat turnips with olive oil and spread out evenly on a baking pan. Sprinkle with salt bake until tender and nicely browned.

2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the maple syrup, vanilla, and red pepper flakes, and then the coriander and cardamom, until the sauce is heated, about 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat.

3. Transfer the turnips to a large mixing bowl. Gently reheat the sauce, if necessary, and stir in the lemon juice. Toss the sauce with the turnips. Add half of the cilantro and salt to taste and toss again. Transfer to a warm serving dish and garnish with the remaining cilantro.

Turnip and Potato Mash

This recipe comes from a December of 2010 issue of Martha Stewart's Everyday Food. A simple and delicious way to enjoy two fall favorites!

Turnip and Potato Mash
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 pound turnips (about 2 medium), peeled and diced large
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes (about 2 medium), peeled and diced large
1 dried bay leaf
coarse salt and ground pepper
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon butter

Directions
In a medium saucepan, bring turnips, potatoes, and bay leaf to a boil in a salted water over high and cook until vegetables are tender when pierced with a knife, 20 minutes. Drain, discard bay leaf, and return vegetables to pan. Add sour cream and butter and mash until mostly smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Warm Root Salad in Horseradish Vinaigrette

This is another kohlrabi recipe that I'd like to try soon, as the new red potatoes will be in our share for the first time this week! This recipe is adapted from A Veggie Venture blog. The author writes that this is a "concept" recipe, so be creative and adapt based upon what you find in your share.

Warm Root Salad in Horseradish Vinaigrette
"Allow about 2 cups unroasted vegetables per serving for a main dish, about 1 cup per serving as a side dish."

Salad Ingredients
2 medium purple-top turnips, ends trimmed, peeled with a carrot peeler, cut cross-wise about ⅓-inch thick, then diced
2 kohlrabi, ends and knobs strimmed, peeled with a paring knife, cut cross-wise about ⅓-inch thick, then diced
1 sweet potato, peeled with a carrot peeler, cut cross-wise about ⅓-inch thick, then diced
2 small potatoes, skins on, cut cross-wise about ⅓-inch thick, then diced
½ celeriac, peeled with a paring knife, cut cross-wise about ⅓-inch, then diced
3 parsnips, ends trimmed, peeled with a paring knife, quartered lengthwise, woody cores removed and discarded, then diced
3 carrots, ends trimmed, thick ends halved or quartered with carrot left intact, then cut cross-wise
1 onion (or 2 to 3 fresh onions), peeled and roughly chopped
1 ounce pancetta, diced small (optional)
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Vinaigrette Ingredients
4 tablespoons olive oil
6 to 8 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons horseradish, or more, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prep vegetables and toss in a bowl with olive oil. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet (you may need two, depending on the amount of vegetables used) and season generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 60 minutes, stirring well after 30 minutes, and stirring well and adding pancetta after 45 minutes.
2. While the vegetables are roasting, whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Mix the roasted vegetables with the vinaigrette and taste and adjust seasonings. Serve over lettuce greens (no need to dress the greens, the horseradish vinaigrette will be enough) with good bread and butter.

"Raw" Turnip Ravioli with Scallion-Asparagus Cashew Cheese

Hi everyone! My name is Angela Salvucci, and I’m a raw food chef & instructor. I do private instruction & coaching on a raw food diet/lifestyle, as well as very unique in-home demos and dinner parties, and I also work with Fresh Thymes Café in Wilmington (a CSA share pickup location!) with raw lunch entrees on Thursdays, and completely raw, vegan (and gluten free!) dinners about once a month.

I have been so thrilled to pick up my CSA shares this spring, and I look forward to blogging about all of the awesome, fresh food I create with the gorgeous veggies. I also blog at my website, www.rawappetit.com, if you are interested in recipes beyond those made with the CSA items.

So, what the heck is raw food, anyway? First off, it’s entirely plant-based – just fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, and some sprouted grains. Then, nothing is prepared above 112 degrees (or so!), which preserves all of the enzymes and nutrients in the food. With enzymes and nutrients intact, your food delivers maximum digestibility and a top-notch nutritional punch – will all of the amazing flavor nature intended! Proponents point to a raw or “living” diet as potentially healing, aiding in weight loss, and helping your body maintain optimal pH to stay disease-free. I eat this way because it makes me feel great…and it is delicious!

So let’s get to the food…today I created just about the cutest ravioli ever, and they were a lot quicker than traditional ravioli, because the shell is…turnips! The teeny harukei turnips that came in my half share this week, thinly sliced, made great ravioli shells, and I used my asparagus and scallions, blended into a cashew “cheese” as a filling – yum!

Ravioli shells:
1 small bunch turnips (beets work, too!)

Asparagus-Scallion Cheese
1 cup raw cashews
½ bunch of asparagus
1 large scallion
A medium lemon
Seas salt & black pepper, to taste

Simple Parsley Pesto
1 cup roughly chopped parsley
½ cup olive oil
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Black pepper, to taste


First, soak 1 cup of raw cashews in fresh water for at least an hour (if you forgot this step, don’t worry! You may just need to add more water later on).

Next, make your pesto: in a food processer (I like a small one for this job), combine parsley, oil, salt and pepper until mostly smooth. You’ll still be able to see specks of parsley. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Pour into a small bowl and set to the side.

Drain cashews. In the same food processer (don’t bother washing it, we’re going to add a little pesto, anyway!), combine cashews with 2 tablespoons lemon juice (you lemon will likely contain 3 or so, depending on its size), a teaspoon of lemon zest, half a teaspoon of salt, and a pinch of fresh black pepper. Add ¼ to ½ cup of water SLOWLY, until your mix resembles a thick but smooth ricotta cheese, pausing to scrape down sides. Add ½ of the thick, white part of the scallion, blend in, and adjust salt, pepper and lemon to taste.

Slice your asparagus crosswise into thin rounds, about 1/8 of an inch, reserving the tops. In a small bowl, combine cashew cheese mixture with 2/3 of a cup of asparagus and the remainder of the white portion of your scallion, finely chopped.

Now, slice your turnips into very thin rounds. I use a spiral slicer, which makes long, thin connected ribbons, that I break apart and piece back into circles. You could also use a mandoline, or a very sharp knife (watch your fingers!) or even a potato peeler. Try to get the slices less than 1/8 of an inch, closer to 1/16.

Arrange a dozen or so turnip slices on a dinner plate. Top each with ½ teaspoon of the cashew-asparagus mixture, and top with another turnip slice. Press down lightly – don’t worry if some cheese leaks out the sides. Repeat with remaining turnip slices and cheese (this recipe will make 4-5 dozen). Drizzle parsley pesto on ravioli (covering up any slices or holes in the turnip with a little dollop of sauce), and garnish with reserved asparagus spears. As I like to say…raw appétit! Please feel free to email me at angelasalvucci@hotmail.com with any questions!

Happy Holidays from Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative! (And Roasted Turnips with Parmesan)

Microgreens still growing in the warmth of an LFFC greenhouse. Check back throughout the winter for the recipes that we're making using winter vegetables and additional items from Four Season Harvest, LFFC's online buying club!

Today is the last Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA share delivery in 2010. We are sad to see it end, but are looking forward to a busy winter preparing for our best season yet in 2011! From all of the farmers and staff here at LFFC, a big thank you to our site hosts and shareholders for their commitment to local, organic food and farmers this season. We truly appreciate your support and hope to see you again in the New Year! Just a reminder—our 2011 CSA membership application is now available our website (www.lancasterfarmfresh.com). Mail in your application and payment by January 15th and receive a $30 discount! Returning members are also eligible for a $10 returning member discount. Happy Holidays from Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative!

And now a recipe for the holidays from our CSA manager's favorite—Martha Stewart! This comes from this month's issue of Everyday Food.

Roasted Turnips with Parmesan
Serves 4

Ingredients
2 pounds turnips, peeled and cut into ½-wedges
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup grated Parmesan (½ ounce)

Directions
Preheat oven to 475 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, combine turnips, cayenne, nutmeg, and oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss well to coat. Sprinkle with Parmesan and toss gently to combine. Arrange turnips in a single layer and roast until golden on both sides, 25 to 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Mulligatawny

This recipe comes from Diet for a Small Planet by Frances Moore Lappé, originally published in 1971. Lappé writes that this dish is “delicious and easy to make—the longer it cooks, the better it tastes.”

Mulligatawny
Makes 2 quarts

Ingredients
3 to 4 tablespoons margarine
2 onions, coarsely chopped
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, chopped 2 stalks celery, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 small- to medium-sized turnip or parsnip, grated
2 apples, cored and chopped
1 teaspoon curry powder
3 ounces tomato paste
2 tablespoons parsley
5 cups water
2 cups cooked garbanzo beans
salt or vegetable seasoning powder to taste

Directions
Heat margarine in a large pot and sauté onions and garlic until the onions are translucent. Add carrot, celery, green pepper, turnip, apple, curry powder, tomato paste, parsley, and water and cook for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Purée beans in a blender until smooth and add to soup pot, with more water if the soup is too thick. Taste for salt and spices. Heat through and serve or continue to simmer, the longer the better.

Potato and Turnip Gratin

This recipe comes from Martha Stewart’s Cooking School by Martha Stewart, published in 2008. As many of you may know, Evan is a big fan of Martha Stewart. This is sure to be on our CSA Manager’s Thanksgiving Day table!

Potato and Turnip Gratin
Serves 6

Ingredients
1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish
1½ cups heavy cream, plus more if needed
3 sprigs robust herbs such as thyme or sage
2 pounds total russet potatoes and turnips, peeled and thinly sliced
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees and butter a 9x13-inch baking dish. Bring cream and thyme to just under a boil in a small saucepan, then remove from heat and let stand for 30 minutes. Strain through a sieve and discard solids.
2. Arrange the vegetable slices in an overlapping fashion in the baking dish, alternating them and seasoning with salt and pepper as you go. Dot with butter. Pour cream over top (it should almost cover the vegetables; add up to ½ cup more if necessary) and cover tightly with parchment-lined foil.
3. Bake until vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes, then remove foil and bake until golden brown and bubbling, about 15 minutes more. Serve at once.

Turnip Slaw with Buttermilk Dressing

This recipe comes from The Yellow Farmhouse Cookbook by Christopher Kimball, published in 1998. Kimball writes that "...turnips comes in a variety of sizes, the smaller ones being sweeter and the larger specimens possessing a stronger, more peppery flavor. The large ones are also more stringy and fibrous...The raisins [in the following recipe] add a kick of sweetness, which pairs nicely with the slightly bitter turnips."

Turnip Slaw with Buttermilk Dressing
Serves 4

Ingredients
4 medium turnips, peeled and grated
2 stalks celery, cut into thin pieces
¾ cup raisins
½ cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar

Directions
Mix together first three ingredients. Whisk together the remaining ingredients and toss with vegetables.