The uncut turnips reminded me of eggs, the fluffy kale the nest. Sweet maple syrup with the slightly sharp turnips and the tart vinegar with the earthy kale and turnip greens (if you get them) combine to make a complex sweet and sour dish of humble origins. Try playing with the vinegars and sweeteners for variations to match other dishes in the meal.
INGREDIENTS:
1 bunch Tokyo turnips, cleaned and trimmed, cut into wedges 1 inch at the widest edge, greens (if available) stemmed and washed, chopped ½ inch 1 bunch Scotch or Russian kale, stemmed, washed, and chopped ½ inch ½ cup red onion sliced top to bottom 1/8th inch thin 2 cloves garlic, minced 4-5 fresh sage leaves, leaves sliced lengthwise into thin shreds salt and pepper to taste 2 tablespoons maple syrup 1 tablespoon butter (optional) 2-3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar Oil as needed, grapeseed or other neutral flavored oil
METHOD:
Fill a sauté pan (non-stick or well-seasoned) large enough to hold the turnips in one layer filled with enough water to cover, and bring to a boil.
While the water comes to a boil, heat a medium sauté pan over medium-high, and when hot, film with oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions and cook until softened and coloring just a little.
Once the water boils, add the turnips and cook until they are just tender. They should not be soft, but have just lost their rawness and the tip of a sharp knife should slip into the turnip easily. Drain the turnips and place in a bowl. Drizzle with a little oil and toss to coat them evenly. Return them to the pan and lower the heat to medium-low. The turnips should be on a cut, flat surface. Season with salt and pepper and cook, tossing to prevent burning and lowering the heat if need be, until the sides are lightly caramelized.
While the turnips cook, return to the onions. They should be soft now, so add a little oil if the pan is dry, and add the garlic and the sage shreds, cooking until fragrant. Add the kale (and turnip greens if you have them) to the pan and toss to combine with the alliums and herbs. Raise the heat to medium and cook until the greens are wilted and tender.
Once the greens are tender, drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and toss to coat evenly. Cook the greens to reduce the vinegar and form a glaze on the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper as needed, remove the greens to a serving dish and keep warm.
Finish the turnips- when the turnips are lightly colored and tender, drizzle with the maple syrup and toss to coat. Turn up the heat to medium and cook to reduce the syrup to glaze the turnips. Add the butter if using (The butter will soften the impact of the syrup, making it less sweet, and will also help to glaze the turnips), heat to melt it and toss to coat the turnips. Remove the turnips with a slotted spoon and place in the center of the “nest” of greens. Return the pan to the heat and reduce any liquid in the pan to a syrup and drizzle over the vegetables.
Serve hot.
Chef’s Notes:
You could play with the sweet and sour elements by changing the sweetener and vinegar. Try using apple juice for the turnips and cider vinegar on the greens. Maybe port and red wine vinegar, or just white vinegar and sugar. Rosemary would work well with the recipe in this iteration. Lemon juice and white balsamic vinegar/sugar would be good and could take the addition of olives or capers to the dish. If the dish appeals to you but you need stove space, the greens could be cooked up to a day ahead and then reheated at the last moment before serving.
Serves: 4
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
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