Caramelized Tokyo Turnips, with Greens and Spinach, Salsa Verde, and Piñons

Add quartered and sautéed button mushrooms and a handful of cooked grains such as farro, wheat berries, or barley and use this as a one dish meal. Otherwise it is a fine side-dish. Spinach is used to supplement the turnips greens so there are more greens on the plate.

INGREDIENTS:

1 bunch Tokyo turnips, tops removed and thoroughly cleaned, turnips washed and trimmed, and if needed peeled, cut into ½ to ¾ inch wedges at the back of the wedge

1 bunch spinach, stemmed and cleaned, dried

2 medium to small leeks, white and pale green parts only, cut into 1/8 x 2-inch strips, well washed

2-3 tablespoons Oregano-Centric Salsa Verde or 1-2 tablespoons Oregano Oil (see recipes)

1/3^rd cup pine nuts, toasted or not as you choose

1 good pinch sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

Light flavored olive oil as needed

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

½ a lemon for juice

METHOD:

Fill a 3 quart sauteuse or 10-inch sauté pan with water to cover the turnips. Bring to a boil. Add turnips and simmer until a sharp knife will just enter the turnips, around 4-5 minutes. Immediately drain the turnips. You are not cooking them per se, just taking off the raw edge.

Add the butter to the pan and melt it with a little drizzle of oil. The bottom of the pan should be just coated. Add the turnips and toss to coat with the oil/butter mixture. Sprinkle with the sugar and toss to mix in. Cook until the turnips are just cooked through and the outsides are golden. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm.

Return the pan to the heat and warm up. Add a thin coat of oil to the pan bottom and heat well. Add the leeks and cook, tossing often, just to wilt them. While the leeks cook, chop the turnip greens. When the leeks are wilted but not colored, add the greens and spinach and toss to combine. Cook gently to slowly wilt the greens. Season with salt and pepper.

Return the turnip wedges to the pan and cook to heat through. Put the vegetables onto a platter or bowl and drizzle with Oregano Centric Salsa Verde or with Oregano oil. Scatter with the pine nuts. Serve.

Chef’s Notes: You could add some orange or tangerine juice to this with good effect, and pistachios could replace the piñons as well.

Serves: 4

Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen