turnip potato mash.

Oh, it is that time again! The time of cold nights, comfort foods, bread in the oven, and the slow cooker on the counter. In our CSA box we have been getting those end of season root veggies which go so well with all of that cold weather food. One of my favorites is turnips.

I love making the first of the season turnip potato mash. So good!

::turnip potato mash::

8 turnips, chopped
5-6 medium potatoes, chopped
2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
freshly ground pepper
1-2 cloves of soft roasted garlic (optional)
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
fresh or dried herbs, if you like (I added dried thyme from our garden)

Put the chopped turnips & potatoes in a pot with water (enough to cover). Bring to a boil, and then cook on medium heat for about 15 - 20 minutes, until soft. Drain and toss into a casserole pan. Using a fork or potato masher, mash the cooked root veggies. Add the butter, roasted garlic, salt & pepper, herbs and then mix. Sprinkle most of the Parmesan over the top. Place the casserole pan into a pre-heated 350º oven. Bake about 20-30 minutes until the top is golden. Let cool a bit and then serve with a little bit of the fresh Parmesan sprinkled over the top.

Great side dish!

I know many people just boil and mash their turnips and serve without the baking step, but I find turnips a bit more watery than potatoes. Baking a bit helps thicken the dish a little, and also gives a nice boost of flavor on top from the baked parmesan!



ingredient tip::

Turnips may be a 'starch' veggie, but they contain only about one third of the calories as an equal amount of potatoes. Turnips are a great source of vitamin C, fiber, folic acid, manganese, panthothenic acid and copper. They also contain a good amount of thiamine, potassium, niacin, magnesium, riboflavin and the vitamins B6 and E.

And with turnips don't throw away those greens! Turnips Greens are packed with vitamins and minerals. We like to saute them in a pan with a little olive oil, minced garlic, salt & pepper and a splash of good balsamic. Takes only a minute and they are super tasty!

creamy corn soup.

This is the sweet corn time of year here - where every farm stand and roadside truck is selling mountains of corn. We have been picking up a few dozen ears of corn each time we pass our favorite spots, and have blanched and frozen a bit, but we usually just tear through it before we preserve much. Today we had another dozen ears awaiting us, so we made soup. This soup combines everything that is in season and available right now - and was SO good. Rich and creamy, but not heavy. So good!


::creamy corn soup::

ingredients:
4 cups fresh corn (we cut corn off of 8 raw ears)
4-5 medium potatoes chopped (a not too starchy type, such as yukon gold)
1 red onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups stock
1 sheet kombu
2 tsp sea salt
3 tsp cumin
ground pepper
1 1/2 cups milk
minced cilantro
1 Tbsp coconut oil

directions:
In a large pot, put the coconut oil, garlic and onion, and cook on med-high for a few minutes until they start to go a bit transparent. Add the fresh corn, stir and let sauté for a minute with the garlic and onions. Add the kombu, stock, salt, cumin, potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat and add milk - stir in a bit of the cilantro and add pepper to taste (more salt if needed, depending on your stock...). Serve warm with a little sprinkle of the cilantro over the top.



ingredients tip::

Corn is a good source of many nutrients including thiamin (vitamin B1), pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), folate, dietary fiber, vitamin C, phosphorus and manganese. Corn is also heart healthy - corn's contribution to heart health lies not just in its fiber, but in the significant amounts of folate that corn supplies.