Browned Butter Braised Baby Turnips

Sweet baby turnips, cooked till tender then pan-roasted in browned butter are seasoned with garlic and thyme for a special side dish where this much maligned root vegetable shines.

 

When I say much maligned, I am talking about by me personally. When I was young, my mom made a delicious vegetable soup with beef that was the perfect meal for a chilly day, except that in addition to chunks of potato, she also added similarly cut turnips. Try as I might when serving my bowl, I invariably ended up with a turnip or two. I did not like turnips, not one bit. The potential of the unexpected bitter bite made eating that otherwise tasty soup like spooning my way through a minefield of bitter turnips that might be masquerading as innocent potatoes.

I am more fifty years old now and I decided at the end of last year that I should give turnips another try. After all, some say that our tastes change every seven years and it has probably been a good 35 or 40 since I last accidently ate a turnip. (I certainly never ate one intentionally.) My mom says that since turnips are a winter crop, that is when they are they are tender and most flavorful.  

Before Christmas I bought a few and started searching “turnip recipes for haters”  and “turnip recipes for turnip haters.” A surprising number show up! Time for a true confession: Despite the research and initial enthusiasm my motivation was low and I ended up conveniently forgetting the turnips in the vegetable drawer. I found them there, wizened, in the new year and threw them away with just the slightest twinge of regret and guilt for wasting food.

When the root vegetable event was announced for Sunday Supper, I knew what I had to do: Pull up my big girl panties, buy some more turnips and get serious about creating a recipe that I might eat. I found some baby turnips that said, “Naturally sweet and tender” which seemed like a promising place to start. The baby turnips brought to mind a recipe I had tested for America's Test Kitchen for brown butter braised new potatoes so the recipe part was settled quickly, even as I put the babies in my shopping basket.

I am pleased to tell you that I am now a turnip eater. At least of baby ones cooked with browned butter, garlic and thyme. Sure, some of them were still a little bitter but not any more than Brussels sprouts, which I adore.

Small turnips work best with this recipe, but you could also use larger turnips and quarter them.

Ingredients
1 lb or 450g baby turnips
1 cup or 240ml water
3 tablespoons or 43g unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, peeled
3 sprigs fresh thyme, plus extra to garnish, if desired
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper

Method
Top and tail the turnips. That is, trim both the root and the stem ends down to the white part. Cut the baby turnips in half.

Arrange turnips in single layer, cut side down, in a large non-stick skillet.

Add water, butter, garlic, thyme, and salt and bring to simmer over medium-high heat.

Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer until turnips are just tender, about 10 minutes.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer garlic to small bowl with the lemon juice. Use the tip of a sharp knife to cut the garlic into small bits. Add in a few generous grinds of fresh black pepper.

Increase the heat under the uncovered turnip pan to medium-high and vigorously simmer, swirling the pan occasionally, until the water completely evaporates and the butter starts to sizzle, 7 to 10 minutes.

Continue to cook turnips, swirling pan frequently, until butter browns and turnips are golden and roasty looking, 6-7 minutes longer.

Just at the end, add the garlic/lemon juice mixture and toss to thoroughly coat.

If you are transferring the baby turnips to a serving bowl, make sure to scrape the pan with a silicone spatula and drizzle all the lovely browned butter over them.

Garnish with additional thyme, if desired.

Enjoy!

Are you a fan of root vegetables? If your answer is yes, you are in for a treat this week with such a great line up of recipes from our Sunday Supper tastemakers. If not, perhaps we’ll win you over! Many thanks to Cindy from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings who is hosting this week.

Appetizers

• Chipotle Sweet Potato Chips from Momma's Meals
• Golden Beet Chips with Sea Salt from Sunday Supper Movement
• Roasted Beet Hummus from And She Cooks
• Roasted Root Vegetable Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette from Nik Snacks
• Roasted Parsnip, Carrot and Garlic Soup from Rants From My Crazy Kitchen
• Roasted Sweet Potato Soup from Magnolia Days
• Root Vegetable Soup with Herb Croutons from An Appealing Plan
• Waffled Carrot Latkes from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures

Breakfast

• Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Carrot Cake Smoothie from Brunch-n-Bites
• Carrot Cake Waffles from Alida's Kitchen
• Sweet Potato Biscuits with Beetroot Orange Marmalade from Dad What's 4 Dinner
• Sweet Potato Biscuit and Sausage Gravy Skillet Bake from The Texan New Yorker

Main

• Bacon-Potato Torte from Tramplingrose
• Beef & Root Vegetable Hand Pastries from Gate to Plate
• Beet, Blue Cheese and Bacon Pizza from Caroline's Cooking
• Beet Pesto from Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Celery Root, Apple and Gorgonzola Flat Bread Pizza from Simply Healthy Family
• Hearty Stew Hand Pies from The TipToe Fairy
• Roasted Root Vegetable Panzanella Salad from The Chef Next Door
• Root Vegetable and Beef Flatbread from Family Foodie
• Roasted Vegetable Borscht from The Crumby Cupcake
• Shepherd's Pie Loaded Baked Potatoes from Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Skillet Breakfast Potatoes from Life Tastes Good
• Sweet Potato Pancakes from Our Good Life
• Turnip Rutabaga and Root Veggie Beef Stew from Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Wild Rice Vegetable Bake from Wholistic Woman

Sides

• Baked Potato Wedges with Parmesan and Garlic from Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen
• Beet, Greens and Goat Cheese Gratin from Monica's Table
• Boxty (Irish Potato Pancakes) from Curious Cuisiniere
• Browned Butter Braised Baby Turnips from Food Lust People Love
• Caprese Twice Baked Potatoes from Seduction in the Kitchen
• Carrot Ribbon and Orange Salad from Pies and Plots
• Celery Root Gratin with Horseradish Cream from The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Italian Roasted Rosemary and Garlic Potatoes from La Bella Vita Cucina
• Gogoma Jorim (Korean Soy-braised Sweet Potatoes) from kimchi MOM
• Honey Dijon Roasted Carrots from Renee's Kitchen Adventures
• Jicama Home Fries from Casa de Crews
• Lemon Thyme Au Gratin Potatoes from Vintage Kitty
• Moroccan Harissa Potatoes from Palatable Pastime
• Roasted Balsamic Carrots from Confessions of a Cooking Diva
• Roasted Root Vegetable Farro from Cooking Chat
• Roasted Rosemary Potatoes (with make-ahead tip) from Meal Planning Magic
• Root Vegetable Mash from Feeding Big and more
• Rooty Dauphinoise from Jane's Adventures in Dinner
• Smashed Potatoes from Taste And See
• Smoked Sausage Potato Casserole from Kitchen Gidget
• Spicy Carrots & Potatoes from Sweet Mornings
• Sweet Potato Shoestring Fries from Grumpy's Honeybunch
• Winter Salad with Fennel, Apples, Goat Cheese and Radishes from Delaware Girl Eats

Desserts

• Best Ever Carrot Cake from Fantastical Sharing of Recipes
• Carrot Cake Cheesecake from Angels Home Sweet Homestead
• Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Carrot Cookies from The Freshman Cook
• Chocolate Carrot & Squash Muffins from What Smells So Good?
• Homemade Carrot Cake from Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Iced Beet Cake from Beauty and the Beets
• Gluten Free Carrot Cake from Real Food Real Deals





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Sopa Seca de Fideo - Spicy Mexican Noodles #FoodieExtravaganza

A deliciously spicy noodle dish with roots in Mexico, this sopa seca de fideo or dry noodle soup is made with fine vermicelli, Mexican chorizo, chipotle peppers and tomato sauce.

Once upon a time in the plazas around San Antonio, Texas there were street vendors who sold deliciousness called the chili queens. They specialized in down home Mexican cooking, just like Mama used to make. Despite living for many of my formative years just three hours’ drive away in Houston, I first learned about the chili queens from an article in the Houston Chronicle in 2006, almost 20 years after I had moved away. The recipe was shared as Fideos Mexicanos and looked simple and tasty so I found it online then copied and pasted it into a Word doc, determined some day to try it. Ten long years later, that day has come!

Before I started cooking, I did a little more research about the chili queens of San Antonio and discovered that the beginning of their reign dates back almost 150 years and their pots of chili, tamales, beans and other wholesome cooking were the draw that made plazas of San Antonio come alive at night. They were accompanied by wandering troubadours and the wide mix of customers were there as much for the spectacle and community as the food. If you’d like to learn more about the tradition and history of the chili queens, I recommend this link from University of the Incarnate Word – San Antonio and this story on NPR.

Further research also revealed that there are many recipes for Mexican fideos, also known as sopa seca (dry soup) de fideos (of noodles). Since I had some homemade Mexican chorizo leftover from this enchilada callejera recipe (which, coincidentally, is also street food from a cookbook by San Antonio residents) and some chipotle peppers in the freezer, I mixed and matched a few to come up with this dish. It’s not only tasty but it’s perfect for this month’s Foodie Extravaganza party where we are celebrating noodles. Make sure to scroll down to see all the noodles dishes my fellow members are sharing.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
About 10 1/2 oz or 300g Mexican chorizo
8 oz or 227g vermicelli (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 small onion
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 garlic clove
1 can (8 oz or 227g) tomato sauce (not paste)
2 teaspoons chipotle in adobo
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Optional to garnish: sprig cilantro

Method
Chop your onion, garlic and chipotle peppers and set them aside.

Pan-fry your chorizo in one tablespoon of the oil, breaking it up into small pieces as it cooks, until it is crispy and brown. Remove the chorizo with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add the other tablespoon of the oil to the same frying pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add the noodles to the pan, stirring constantly to prevent them from burning. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until brown. I did that flipping thing with the noodles, like you see chefs do on television. If you can do that without losing all the noodles, it really keeps them moving and browning evenly.

Add the onions, cumin seeds and garlic to the browned noodles and cook for a few more minutes, stirring or tossing regularly to soften the onions.

Add in the tomato sauce, chipotle peppers and 2 cups or 275ml water. Stir well.

Cover and simmer for five minutes. Add the crispy chorizo back into the pot.

Stir well and cook, covered, for another few minutes or until the noodles are soft. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

Do you have favorite noodle dish or are you looking for new inspiration? I've got some for you!

• Bacon and Beer Mac & Cheese by Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Green Bean and Squash Laksa by Caroline's Cooking
• Haluski (Fried Cabbage & Noodles) by Making Miracles
• Homemade Chinese Noodles by Fearlessly Creative Mammas
• Homemade Noodles by Our Good Life
• Kakaós Tészta (Hungarian Cocoa Noodles) by Tara's Multicultural Table
• MiMi's Baked Ziti by Cooking With Carlee
• Parmesan Garlic Noodles by From Gate to Plate
• Soft Noodles with Veggies and Poached Egg by G'Gina's Kitchenette 
• Sopa Seca de Fideo - Spicy Mexican Noodles by Food Lust People Love
• Spicy Shrimp with Peanut Noodles by cookinandcraftin
• Tortellini and Tomato Salad by The Freshman Cook
• Tossed Homemade Macaroni Noodles by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Foodie Extravaganza celebrates obscure food holidays or shares recipes with the same ingredient or theme every month.

Posting day is always the first Wednesday of each month. If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog along with us, come join our Facebook group Foodie Extravaganza. We would love to have you!

If you're a reader looking for delicious recipes, check out our Foodie Extravaganza Pinterest Board! Looking for our previous parties? Check them out here.

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Prawn and Curry Leaf Muffins #MuffinMonday

Aromatic curry leaves, fried till crispy in butter, perfectly complement the butter-fried prawns in these delicious savory muffins. 

I have an editorial calendar where I keep track of upcoming blog posts and what I am planning to cook or bake for different group themes. I penciled in Muffin Monday on the 22nd of February and started thinking about what to bake. If you’ve been reading along here for a while, you know that the new Muffin Monday doesn’t have a theme or prescribed ingredients. We are free and easy on the last Monday of each month. But then I discovered that this was a leap year so the last Monday of the month is actually February 29th. How did I get all the way to the middle of February and just find that out? Seems like it would have come up at some point in December or January at least, right?

Soooooo, I had an idea: A leap of faith muffin. We’d each use an unusual ingredient, one we’ve never used before, at least not in a muffin. I proposed it to the group and, good sports that they are, they all agreed. Make sure you scroll down and check out the link list of muffins. Some of them may look normal to you, but I can assure you that the Muffin Monday bakers have stretched themselves this month!

One of my favorite dishes when we lived in Malaysia was something called Butter Prawns. I’ve only made them myself once because they are a bit of a faff but, dear me, they are divine! Crispy curry leaves, crispy prawns and lots of bits of buttery crumbs. I didn’t do the crumbly part for these muffins but all the butter, curry leaves and prawns still gave me the right flavor I was looking for.

My one attempt at butter prawns

Ingredients
10 medium-sized prawns or shrimp, already cleaned and shelled (Mine weighed 5oz or 140g.)
1/2 cup or 115g unsalted butter
Generous handful fresh curry leaves
2 1/2 cups or 315g flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Black pepper
1 cup or 240ml milk
2 eggs

Method
Preheat oven to 350°F or 180°C and prepare your 12-cup muffin pan by generously greasing with butter, oil or non-stick spray.

Chop the prawns into three or four pieces and put them in a bowl handy to your stove or cooktop.

Melt two tablespoons of the butter in a small frying pan and then fry the curry leaves briefly.

Remove them quickly with a slotted spoon when they get crispy and are just starting to brown.

Lower the fire and tip the prawns into the browning butter you've left behind.

Cook them till just pink. Remove the whole pan from the heat, add in the rest of the butter and set aside so the additional butter can melt and the prawns can cool.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt together in a large mixing bowl with a few generous grinds of fresh black pepper.

In another bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs.  Once the prawns are cool enough not to cook the eggs, add them along with the melted butter and stir well.

Add all the milk/egg/prawn mixture to flour bowl.

Gently fold a few turns then add in the crispy curry leaves. Continue folding just until the dry ingredients are moistened.

Divide the batter between the muffin cups in your prepared pan.

Bake in your preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until muffins are golden.

Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before removing muffins from tin.

Enjoy!

Take a leap of faith with us this month – Bake some muffins! Many thanks to all the Muffin Monday bakers for playing along.

• Berry Mango Swirl Muffins from Farm Fresh Feasts
• Brown Sugar, Pistachio and Garam Masala Muffins from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Carrot Muffins from Kelli's Kitchen
• Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins with Cardamom Browned Butter from The Spiced Life
• Marmite Muffins from Passion Kneaded
• Prawn and Curry Leaf Muffins from Food Lust People Love
• Rosewater Banana White Chocolate Muffins from Making Miracles
• Spinach, Bacon and Cheese Breakfast Muffins from A Day in the Life on the Farm

#MuffinMonday is a group of muffin loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins. You can see all our of lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board.

Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday, can be found on our home page.

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