Turnips and Broadbeans

[Oola]

I used turnips in my cooking for the first time ever the other day. I'd always known about them but never encountered them in my cooking.

I've bought a packet of Snowball variety turnips - just 99p and they're the early harvesting variety that you can start using from May until October. The thing is, other than putting them in a soup or stew (which is basically all I eat at the moment anyway!), is there anything else I can use them with?

I've also mentioned elsewhere that I'm growing broad beans for the first time this year. I've never really eaten them before. My whole family grows buckets of french/runner beans, which I'm not actually keen on, so I thought I would opt for something a bit different. Thing is, what can I use them in, other than soups and stews as well?! I guess they'd be ok for curries and bean chillies? Does anyone else eat them?

[franbee]

Oola, I like to use baby white turnips in stir fry. Just slice them very thin, and they fry up a bit like water chestnut. I also use all root veg in mash form, either alone or with potato. They go well with sausage or fish, or for you, stir in grated cheese and brown under the grill. Broad beans, I prefer them without their skins, so they're a bit fiddly to do whilst hot. One classic way to have them is in parsley sauce with fish.

[jazzactivist]

I have used smal baby turnips in curry, which they suit very well. Thinly slice 1 onion, and 3 - 5 cloves of garlic and cook in a couple of tablespoons of veg oil over a high heat until golden. Grind 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds, 2 teaspoons of corriander seeds, one dried red chilli or chopped fresh green one, and 1 teaspoon turmeric. Throw into the onion mix and stir until spices smell slightly roasted. Add a tin of chopped tomatoes and cook until they are thick and have darkened in colour. Add 1 pint of veg stock or water, give the mixture a good stir and add the peeled, whole baby turnips. Cook on medium heat with the lid on until turnips are soft and have picked up the colour of the curry. Turn heat to high for a few minutes to reduce the sauce so that it is slightly thick. Serve with rice or naan bread.

[Healing Hands]

I am not a lover of turnips I must say my aunt used to feed me tattie and neeps after school, and if I find them in a stew I tend to pick them out, I should really try them again.

As for broad beans they are lovely just cooked on their own once you picked them for a few minutes, they are lovely with gammon and carrots. My youngest daughter's fav.

[magic cochin]

Home grown broad beans are delicious Oola! One of my favourite vegetables.
You can use the top shoots, young pods and shelled beans.

- Top shoots: when the plants are about 2 to 3 feet tall and have 3 or 4 tiers of pods forming up the stalk, pinch out the top shoot and cook it like spinach or stir fry it - a delicious gardeners' gourmet treat!

- Young pods: if you have a good crop and can spare using some of the pods before they mature, pick them when they are the size of your little finger and cookk whole as you would use mange touts.

- Shelled beans - young shelled beans are tender and delicious perfect to go with your first new potatoes and ham - or feta cheese if you want a vegie option. Older beans have tougher skins, these can be slipped off easily after cooking in boiling water and the bright green inner bean can be mashed.

In Valencia a traditional paella is made with broad beans.
I like to make a frittata with broad beans - and lovely freshly laid eggs.

Don't forget to grow some Savoury - Broad Beans and Savoury were made for each other like Tomatoes and Basil :)

Celia

[SummerSkye]

Hi Oola, I love young broad beans, shelled and lightly boiled until just tender. Drain and add a squeeze of lime juice (or lemon) and a knob of butter.
I admit I am not a big fan of turnips but OH always grows them. The green tops are nice, when young, as a salad green, the ancient Romans grew them for that purpose and fed the rootcrop to their livestock. I mash them mixed with either carrot, parsnip or potato; if we had a large crop I would boil them up and give the hens a treat.

[Healing Hands]

Magic Cochin, I too made a frittata with broad beans last year and very nice it was too.

[sunflower]

I love turnips. I put them in casseroles, but also boil them and even mash them with pepper and butter. I'v never tried to grow them though..maybe I should have a go.