As I pulled out my tape measure the other morning to thin some plants to
precisely 5 inches apart, an onlooker might think I’m quite anal about tending
to my vegetable garden. Perhaps.
But in some ways I am also quite lazy. One
thing I don’t do is label the plantings. I figure the vegetables will present
themselves when they’re ready.
While the initial sprouts of cucumber and
zucchini look similar, the flowers and vegetables dispel any similarities. And
since I have not reached the level of sophistication of watering or fertilizing
plants on different schedules to suit the individual needs, I really see no
point in taking the extra step to label the garden.
This year, I planted several
new crops, including what I thought was going to be radishes. As the shoulders
of the root began to push out above the surface of the dirt, I thought,
“Perfect, ready to harvest.” So I began pulling up the first few, only to
discover I had in fact planted turnips. Whoops! And being turnips, they still
needed to grow a bit larger.
The turnip greens, however, can be cooked now. A
search of the web yields recipes mostly for a southern style preparation with
some form of pork product. As much as I love pork, I’m realizing that many of my
favorite people don’t eat it, so I’m making a concerted effort to post more
recipes without it. Jody
Adams suggests a simple preparation: sautéing the greens in extra virgin
olive oil with lots of garlic and chili flakes.
For a more substantial meal, I
offer this recipe:
White Bean and Turnip Green
Soup with Chicken Sausage (a variation of Tuscan Kale Soup)
2 tbs. olive oil
1 onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled
and coarsely chopped
½ celery stalk, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and
coarsely chopped
2 cups cooked white beans
5 cups chicken broth, water or
combination of the two
1 piece of parmigiano reggiano rind
1 sprig fresh thyme,
chopped
½ tsp. Black pepper
1/2 pound smoked chicken sausage, sliced
1 carrot
1
pound turnip greens (or kale), coarsely chopped
2 tsp. salt
1. Heat oil in a large pot
over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, celery and carrots, and cook until soft,
about 4 or 5 minutes. Add beans, liquid, cheese rind, and thyme. Season to taste
with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook uncovered for
about 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, brown sausage in batches over medium heat.
3.
Stir in turnip greens and sausage. Cook for 10 minutes or until greens are
wilted and tender.
4. Add water, if necessary to thin soup. Adjust seasoning
with salt and pepper to taste.