Turnips and swedes
This week it’s:
WHEN discussing brassicas we tend to think of cabbages, cauliflowers, broccoli, kale and Brussels sprouts, but these are just the ‘leafy’ brassicas. There are three more commonly grown members of the brassica vegetable group that, visually at least, have very little in common with the leafy types. I’m talking about turnips, swedes and kohlrabi, which are all brassicas in their own right. Where they do have similarities is in the growing: they all need a firm, non-acid soil with good drainage. Let’s look at some of the stories surrounding these root and swollen-stemmed brassicas.
■ When it comes to turnips, the small kinds are grown for human food. Larger varieties are grown to feed livestock.
Turnips: a potted history
THE turnip ( subsp. ) is a tough and very hardy plant. It makes a large and woody root, so has limited use in the kitchen: it can be chopped and used in stews and casseroles, but my two favourite ways to use it are i) boiled and mashed and served with butter, and ii) diced and roasted with salt, pepper and paprika. Most varieties have a slightly spicy taste if eaten raw. Here is just a little of its history:
