You Won't Turn Up Your Nose at These Turnips

My vegetable lexicon has never included turnips. Maybe I've roasted them once or twice, but I can't remember ever using them in any other way. This recipe from Vivian Howard has changed my disregard into total respect and a determination to find other ways to cook them. It probably doesn't hurt that the other main ingredient is beef --short ribs. This has a beautiful combination of flavors and textures The earthy, slightly spicy, taste of the turnip puree combined with the luxurious short ribs topped with the turnip gremolata make every bite a symphony.

SLOW-ROASTED BEEF SHORT RIBS WITH HERB-SCENTED TURNIP PUREE AND TURNIP GREMOLATA

1. 4 bone-in beef short ribs, about 10 ounces each
2. 4 tsps salt
3. 1 tsp black pepper
4. 2 pounds turnip roots
5. 1 TBS extra-virgin olive oil

For the Puree

1. 1/3 cup milk
2. 1/3 cup heavy cream
3. 1 TBS butter
4. 1 garlic clove,smashed
5. 2 sprigs thyme
6. 1 sprig rosemary
7. 1 bay leaf
8. 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
9. 1/8 tsp chili flakes

For the gremolata

1. Zest and juice of one small orange
2. Zest and juice of 1 lemon
3. 1/4 tsp hot sauce
4. 1 large garlic clove, grated
5. 3 TBS flat-leaf parsley
6. 2 TBS chopped mint
7. 1 TBS honey

 

Roast the ribs and the turnips and making the puree base

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Season the short ribs on both sides with 3 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon of black pepper. Place two of them a 9x13-inch baking dish and the other two in a another similar dish. [I couldn't fins short ribs quite this large and used smaller ones to good effect.] Cover with foil and slide them into the top and bottom racks of your oven. Roast for 1 hour.

Wash and cut the turnips into 2/3-inch wedges.

Toss the turnips with the olive oil and 1 tsp salt. After the ribs' first hour in the oven, bring them out, divide the turnips in half and spread them evenly over each dish. Don't crowd the turnips or pile them on top of each other. Roast uncovered for 40 minutes. Bring the dishes out of the oven and toss the turnips around to coat them in the fat from the short ribs. Return them to the oven, rotating the top and bottom dishes and continue roasting for 50 more minutes.

While the ribs and the turnips are roasting, heat the milk,cream, butter, smashed garlic, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, sugar and chili flakes in a saucepan over low heat. Let it steep just under a simmer for 30 minutes.

After 2 1/2 hours total oven time, take the pans out of the oven. The turnips should be caramelized. Divide them in half. Put one half in the blender and the other half in a bowl. Turn off the oven, cover the ribs with foil, and slide them back into the oven to keep warm. The ribs should be browned and tender, but with enough texture that you need a knife and fork to cut them.

Assemble the gremolata

Toss the turnips that are in the bowl with the citrus zests and juice, hot sauce, grated garlic, parsley, mint and honey. Set aside.

Make the puree and serve

Take the rosemary, thyme, garlic and bay leaf out of the steeped cream mixture and add the liquid to the turnips in the blender. Blend the turnips until they are completely smooth.

Serve the ribs over the turnip puree and under the gremolata.

 (from Vivian Howard's Deep Run Roots)

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