[madcat]

The turnips have done well - and the slugs dont seem to like them.     Sooooo...  help needed!  I could roast them, but there is a limit to the number of roast dinners one should have.  I could put them in casseroles but this isnt generally the time of year for casseroles ... 

Other ideas needed please ...  I'm clean out of inspiration!

[Val H]

http://www.allotment-garden.org/recipes/search?Main+Ingredient=Turnip

A few ideas.

[Yorkie]

Of course, you can roast them and then freeze them.

[madcat]

Of course, you can roast them and then freeze them.

It might come to that ...  and freeze casserole packs of them, but they are so pretty now and frankly, the beans are so late I havent a lot of fresh veg options at the moment.  I dont want to mash my nice new potatoes but Sautéed Turnips with Poppy and Paprika sounds good to go with some cold ham lurking in the fridge.  I think I'll give it a go .... 

Any other thoughts?

[sunshineband]

If you fry sections until they are golden brown, they are a fantastic addition to red bean curry 

[khelashi]

I made this last year and it was absolutely amazing!  I used figs instead of dates, because I happened to have a lot of them in my store cupboard... ;-)

TURNIP PICKLE (INDIAN RECIPE)

1/2 kg Turnips (Shalgam)
1 cup Mustard Oil (Sarson Ka Tel)
15 cloves Garlic (Lasun)
1 cup Vinegar (Sirka)
3/4 or 1 cup Sugar (Cheeni)
15 dry Dates (Khajoor)
6 teaspoons seedless golden Raisins (Kishmish)
1 teaspoon peppercorn
2 teaspoons chilli powder
1 teaspoon Onions seeds (Kalonji)
1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds (Jeera)
1/3 cup Salt (Namak)

How to make turnip pickle:
Grind the spices and sugar together.
Grind dates and raisins with a little vinegar.
Peel and cut turnips into thick round slices and rub salt on them.
Keep for 8 hours.
Heat oil, fry the ground garlic till golden brown.
In it fry turnips till dry.
Add vinegar, ground spices with sugar and ground dates and raisins.
Put in a jar, keep in the sun for 6 days.

[sunshineband]

That is quite similar to the way I make lemon pickle.

Hadn't thought of using turnips in this way, but it sounds delicious 

[khelashi]

I'm making it today! ;-)
There is a delicious Thai dish, green papaya salad, do you know it?
It's hard to get the green papayas here so my friends from Thailand use turnip, they say it actually tastes almost the same|
Grated turnip
A little garlic
Sugar
As much fresh red or green chili as you can stomach
Lemon juice
Thai fish sauce
Sorry, I don't know the measurements for this but it's delicious in any way! ;-)

[cheshirecheese]

I made this last year and it was absolutely amazing!  I used figs instead of dates, because I happened to have a lot of them in my store cupboard... ;-)

This sounds gorgeous!  Isn't it funny how you develop recipes because you improvise when you don't have the 'proper' ingredients to hand?  I did the same recently when making some pear and walnut chutney which called for sultanas.  I didn't have any, but did have some ready to eat dried figs ... and 'pear, fig & walnut' sounds so much posher doesn't it??      

[cheshirecheese]

... but I do also love baby turnips finished off tossed in 'real butter' in a saucepan with either garlic and lemon juice or grated nutmeg.  Nothing quite like the flavour of them.  And although you say it's not the casserole season yet, it's not that far off!  (Sorry!!)   But couldn't you just freeze them in the usual way and then add them to oxtail stew, lamb shanks, etc., and also veggie dishes with chick peas or borlotti beans?  If they're frozen young enough, they'll still retain their texture    ... ooh, making myself feel peckish now!!   

[khelashi]

Pear and walnut chutney? Sounds delicious! Can you post tithe recipe please? :-)

[cheshirecheese]

Pear and walnut chutney? Sounds delicious! Can you post tithe recipe please? :-)

Yes of course.  It's one I adapted from a BBC website I think - I'll put it in the recipe section, but here it is for now:

1.5kg pears
400g dried/ready to eat figs
375g Bramley apples
375g onions
1 level tbspn ground cinnamon
1 level tbspn toasted cardamom seeds, crushed
5 mace blades
Zest & juice of two oranges and one lemon
450g soft brown sugar
425ml cider vinegar
125g walnuts, roughly chopped

Chop the figs and place in a small bowl together with the orange and lemon zest and juice, and leave to soak whilst preparing the rest of the fruit.
Peel, core and chop the pears and apples.  The apples will reduce to pulp, but cut the pears into pieces no smaller than half inch cubes if you want to be able to recognise them in the finished chutney!!  
Peel and finely dice the onions.
Tie the whole spices in muslin and place with the rest of the ingredients except the walnuts into a large pan and stir well.
Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a good simmer, stirring occasionally.
When the chutney is almost at the desired consistency (this could take well over an hour), toast the walnuts by dry-frying in a non-stick pan.  
Stir the chutney frequently as it thickens to avoid burning:  it’s ready when a spoon leaves a trail briefly when drawn through the mixture.
Remove the spice bag.
Stir the walnuts through the chutney and ladle into hot, clean, sterilized jars.  Seal, and leave for at least a month to mature.

This makes approximately 10 x 8oz jars

[khelashi]

Thank you!! ;-)

[arugula]

My Mum made a turnip and pear gratin dauphinoise style dish.

[cheshirecheese]

My Mum made a turnip and pear gratin dauphinoise style dish.

Oooh, now that sounds absolutely gorgeous Argyllie - I'd love to see the recipe for that if you have it?