Author Notes
This recipe started life as a French 14th century turnip recipe I learned in the SCA (shout out Medrona!). I still make the original, but I reall love this variation. The fennel brings out some of the sweetness in the turnips and the greens bring a bit of “healthy” to good old fashioned peasant food.
This makes a phenominal side for a holiday roast but is just as good on a week day. If you don't eat meat, it would make a lovely and filling main dish over some cooked whole grains and serve 4. —fatgirleating
Ingredients
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1 bunch
turnip greens, washed and torn into mediumish pieces
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1
bulb fennel
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4-5
purple top (or chosen variety) turnips, peeled and quartered
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3 tablespoons
butter (or more if you're feeling daring)
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2 tablespoons
grainy, country style mustard (dijon prefered)
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1/4-1/2 teaspoons
freshly ground nutmeg
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salt and pepper to taste
Directions
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in a pot of lightly salted water, boil the turnips until knife tender.
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while the turnips boil, cut off the root and frond of the fennel bulb. save the fronds for another thing. cut in half vertically, then into 1/8-1/4 inch half-moons.
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when the turnips are done, drain them and set them aside to cool until you can handle them.
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into the hot pot, with the burner off, put the butter, greens, mustard, nutmeg and fennel
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slice the turnips into 1/4 inch slices and add to the pot.
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toss evereything to coat. the residual heat from the turnips and the pot will wilt the delicate turnip greens and cook the fennel just a little bit while keeping it crunchy. taste for salt and, if desired pepper.
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the original french recipie is just the turnips, butter, mustard, nutmeg and salt for anyone who wants to eat really good, really old food.
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