In the winter months turnips are mashed, glazed, braised, roasted, and bathed in nutmeg scented white sauce, but what to do with the humble root in the summer months? I love to add crisp sweet turnip slices to top a green salad along with our spring harvest of carrots and radishes and here in a delicious turnip slaw.
Japanese Hakurei turnips are pure white and delicately sweet. They should be harvested when they are about the size of a large radish and when they are small there is no need to peel.
I combined the Hakurei turnip with the more traditional purple top turnips It took ten turnips of various sizes, from a golf ball to a tennis ball to make one pound for this recipe. I left just a little of the purple on for color contrast and added some baby carrot thinnings from the garden for additonal color. Grating the turnips in the food processor made it easy, they were too small to make a decent hand cut julienne. Drain the turnips and squeeze out any excess liquid before adding the vinaigrette.
I love the smell of toasted cumin seeds and they add their own smokiness to the slaw. Toast the cumin seeds in a dry skillet, tossing occasionally until they turn a shade darker. You could crush the toasted cumin in a mortar and pestle if you desire to really bring out the flavor.
Turnip Slaw
Serves four to six
Ingredients
For the slaw
- 1lb turnips, tops and root ends trimmed, peeled if necessary
- 1 medium carrot, washed and trimmed
For the dressing
- 1 clove of garlic, chopped
- 1/2t salt
- 1/3c fresh orange juice
- 1t grated orange peel
- 3T fresh lime juice
- 1T minced shallot
- 2t honey
- 1t toasted cumin seed
- 1/2t or more chipotle pepper powder (optional if you like a little heat)
- 1/2c vegetable oil
- 1/4t fresh ground black pepper
- Additional kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Directions
- Fit a food processor with the grating disc and shred the turnips and carrot.
- Drain vegetables of any excess liquid. You can let them sit over a fine colander or better yet, place vegetables on a very clean cloth dishtowel, gather up the ends and give a good squeeze. Place the grated turnip and carrot in a large bowl.
- Combine in a medium bowl, garlic, salt, juices and peel, shallot, honey, cumin and chipotle pepper if using.
- Add oil in a slow stream, whisking until well blended. Season with pepper.
- Pour about a half cup of the dressing over the vegetables. Toss to coat. Taste and season with additonal salt and pepper. Add additional dressing if needed. Chill for an hour to allow the flavors to blend.
