If you’re like most people, you’ve probably underestimated the turnip. Maybe you’ve added it to your chicken soup for some extra flavor, or if you’re brave, you’ve mashed them up with some butter. Me? I was not much of a turnip person until we made a roasted vegetable dish in culinary school that involved caraway seeds.
I don’t know what it was about those fragrant little seeds that made the veggies so good. If you ask me, they kinda look like mouse droppings. And really, all I could think of when I smell them is the “black bread” (which I grew up to appreciate as pumpernickel) my mom used to buy when I was a kid.
So yes, if you’re the type of person that doesn’t like to take a leap in the kitchen, this dish is going to involve some bravery. But when you take a bite of the caramelized turnips, you’ll never turn back. When I’m craving roasted potatoes, I make a huge tray of this stuff (with or without the caraway seeds) and it really hits the spot.
Caraway Roasted Turnips
5 medium turnips
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tbsp caraway seeds
Kosher salt, to taste
Method:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash the turnips well, pat dry and cut into 8 wedges each. Place the turnip wedges on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle caraway seeds and kosher salt and roast for about 1 hour, until golden and caramelized, stirring occasionally.
NOTE: A word of caution – turnips can sometimes be bitter (like when they’re not fresh or in season), and roasting just brings out the bitterness. I’ve had a bad batch or two and it’s terrible. If you want to avoid that risk, sprinkle kosher salt over the turnips and place them in a colander. The salt will draw out some of the bitterness. Rinse, pat dry, and continue as per the recipe.
1 year ago: melt-in-your-mouth veal meatballs
2 years ago: cheesy stuffed mini peppers
3 years ago: cowboy cookies