Scalloped Macomber Turnips
Back when I was taking the first steps in my healing journey, I signed up to receive a bi-weekly box filled with locally sourced vegetables. It was a great way to make sure I was getting veggies into my diet, and it challenged me to try new foods.
Once, I received a Macomber Turnip in the box. In all honesty, it sat in my fridge for a couple of weeks. I didn't know what to do with it! At one point I thought I could use my mandolin to make baked turnip chips- you know, an alternative to potato chips. But when I sliced into the turnip, it just didn't seem to have the right consistency for chips.
Back into the fridge it went.
Then one Saturday morning while perusing the farmer's market, I spied the turnips at the Langwater Farm booth. Though I'd never thought that a "Macomber" turnip was any different than other turnips I knew of, one of the friendly women running the farm stand explained that this variety of turnip is actually native to the Westport, Massachusetts area (only about 30 minutes from where I lived in Providence, Rhode Island). She then handed me a recipe card for Scalloped Macomber Turnips.
A few days later, I took the plunge.
When preparing the dish, I admit I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I loved scalloped potatoes as a kid, but they always seem to involve cheese (yum!). This recipe called for no dairy, just olive oil.
I had also heard that these turnips could be very creamy tasting on their own. This piqued my curiosity further. I prepared the turnips in a baking dish: turnips sliced thinly, tossed with some garlic, parsley, and sliced shallots (I ran out of the fresh chives the recipe called for), olive oil, veggie stock, and salt and pepper. Arrange in a baking dish and bake at 350F for at least an hour, maybe longer.
Very soon, my kitchen smelled amazing. An hour and a half later, I'm pulling them out of the oven.
The outcome- pretty darn satisfying! They seem to have caramelized in the oven a bit. The slices on top turned golden brown and a little crispy. Underneath, however, is creamy heaven. But- a lot lighter than the cheesy scalloped potatoes I grew up on.
The final product...
I'm not sure that I'd go out of my way to cook Macomber Turnips on a regular basis, but it was a nice feeling of accomplishment to experiment with a new vegetable successfully. Plus, the more variety of vegetables you get into your diet, the greater nutritional punch. So this was also a way to insert some different colors, tastes, textures, and nutrients into my life.
