Neeps

[xylaria]

We celebrate eehee shavna (cant spell it, but samhain means november to me) by sticking fireworks in the moldy pumpkin. It is very funny seeing the effect a roman candle has with flames shooting out the top and mouth. I not too sure how well a really big turnip would stand up that, but there is only one why to find out

I have a very faint early childhood memory of mr turnip-head been set on fire in the middle of the high street in skerries co dublin. but i don't know if the memory is real or not. does any one burn Mr turnip-head? if so do you use a fire steel or bow drill to light it.

 

[Toddy]

Our *Bogle* became the head of the Guy for bonfire night

cheers,
Toddy....who thinks the turnip chips are something of an acquired taste, but the crisps are good , and Rosemary is surprisingly good with neep too okay, so I was playing

 

[Gailainne]

I was having this very (turnip/pumpkin) conversation with my older sister and her daughter at the weekend, you know there response to my "its traditional to use a turnip"...pumpkins are easier ! (is there a shakes head smilie)

PS I hate cooked turnip, but some of those recipes sound almost eatable

Stephen

 

[Wettstuff]

As far as im concerned you won't go far wrong with the sweede cut into cubes added to chopped carrots in salted boiling water and mashed together (when soft of course) with loads of butter and salt and pepper, accompanies my sunday roast every week.

Mark

 

[Wayland]

In Norway I was told the only good Swede is a mashed Swede........

 

[British Red]

Mary,

Stew them to bits, mash them up with shredded cabbage, chopped onion and lots of garlic and thyme and then fry into cakes in a red hot griddle - somewher between bubble and squeak and hash. mmmmm man food - served with brown sauce

Red

 

[Toddy]

Red, that sounds like 'food' to me Himself won't touch it though....cabbage, garlic, onion, fried....yet says he'll eat anything :bluThinki Hah! yeah, that'll be right :tapedshut
Just as well he's a carnivore, he'd never make it as a vegetarian.

Lot of good recipes coming out of this one, much appreciated folks.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Justin Time]

Madhur Jaffery does a good recipe in her " A Taste of India" book although it's for the small ones ( which I remember being called "Navets" in Glasgow) I have used the big ones, tumshies/Swedes with success but cubed rather than wedges since ehty seem to take longer to cook. Let's see how long this takes to type!

Serves 6

160g red kidney beans, soaked overnight, drained ( I guess you could use tinned)
400g tumshies/swede, or four medium sized little ones
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp salt
1/8 -/1/4 tsp red chilli powder
4tbs vegetable oil
1 medium sized onion, peeled, cut in half length wise and then cut crosswise into fine half rings
2 or 3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped

Cook the dried beans thoroughly, or heat tinned.

Peel the tumshies into small wedges

mix the ground ginger, turmeric, chilli, and salt in a small bowl with a tbs of water

Brown the wedges of tumshy in the veg oil, remove and set aside.
Fry the onion in the same oil till medium brown, reduce heat and add garlic for a few seconds, then add spice mix. Stir once and turn off heat.

Add the tumshies and the onion/garlic/spice mix to the beans in their pan. Use a little of the bean liquid to swish out the frying pan and get the last of the flavour. Cook for another 45 mins or until cooked through.

Good with plain rice, indian greens, indian meat dishes, or just by itself with some roti!

 

[Toddy]

I haven't heard that in years. Navets and syboes That's turnip and spring onions for those southwards. Navets were what we called little yellow ones. Probably French, like a lot of Scots cookery words.

cheers,
Toddy....who's now in the notion for a curry

 

[gorilla]

mashed with carrots - as a side , or on shepherds pie instead of spuds
lovely jubbly

 

[Ketchup]

Navets is French all right, and it means turnips (the small peppery ones). Cyboes is almost French (ciboule, ciboulette).

For the big ones: If the flesh is white, it's a swede, if the flesh is yellow, it's a rutabaga (another swedish word meaning big root).

"navets glacés":

Cut some turnips into quarters and put them in a pan. Cover with water, add a nut of butter and a spoonful of sugar. Bring to the boil. Let boil till all the water is evaporated shaking now and then. The turnips will be glazed with fat and sugar. Traditionaly served in France with roasted duck.
"Bon appétit"

 

[nicodiemus]

Toddy, try 2 tablespoons honey, 1-2 teaspoons of custard powder (not the instant stuff!), boil the veg as normal, then caramelize the above with the veg in a nonstick pan or over a campfire. You can still mash afterwards if you like.

Also works a treat with carrots, and any other sweet veg.

 

[Tengu]

I never used to enjoy my veg as a kid, due to mum boiling it to obliteration

(and yes, she thought potatoes came from a packet marked Instant Mash, and meat was bully beef...)

(did you have a mother like that?)

But my fathers new wife knows how to cook em, roast parsnips (my fave) and mashed neeps and carrots....

 

[EdS]

Toddy

Very simple solution - if you cook he gets what he is given, if he cooks you get what you are given.