Scalloped Turnips

With our first freeze a few days ago the turnip greens are gone. Turnip greens with a little bacon or ham are great along side a thick slab of buttermilk cornbread. So now we are down to the turnip roots themselves. I know alot of people don't like turnips because of the "bite" or that little tang that they all have. It helps if you pick younger turnips before they get hard and strong and woody. The big ones go to the chickens and pigs! I am also going to show you a trick to cooking turnips without that bite. Most people that don't even like turnips like this recipe!

SCALLOPED TURNIPS

Turnips washed, peeled and cubed into 1 inch cubed.(enough cubed turnips for an 8 inch or 2 quart casserole to be filled within 1 inch of the top)

Put turnips in a kettle (pot) of cold water and 1/2 tsp of baking soda.

Cook on medium heat just until they start to boil. At this point they will foam!!!!! They will not be soft.

The baking soda and heat helps to draw out the bitter "bite" of the turnips and mellow the taste.  Remove from heat.

Wash thoroughly and drain well. Put turnips back in pot and cover with cold salted water. Cook until almost tender. Drain.

Put turnips into buttered casserole.

Combine in separate bowl:
1/4 cup sugar
3 heaping Tbsp flour
1 pint Half & Half

Stir well

Pour milk mixture over turnips in casserole. Dot with butter.

Bake in a 325 oven for  about 1 hour.

This make a smooth and creamy scalloped turnip dish. Sometimes I will throw just a handfull of grated cheese in there just because Baby O likes it that way. 

PS: If you are canning turnips cooking them like this in baking soda before putting into jars will greatly mellow the taste of them.. (making sure to rinse well before jarring) 

Blessings from The Holler

The Canned Quilter