Turnips, Boiled
Turnips (1 lb for 2-3 persons)Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Pare the turnips. If large, divide them into quarters; if small, cook them whole.
Bring the salted water to a boil in a saucepan.
Cook and serve
Add the turnips and boil gently until tender, about 18‑20 minutes for young turnips or 45‑90 minutes for old ones. Test for doneness with a fork.
Drain in a colander and serve.
For better flavor, mash the turnips before serving.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Turnips
- Provide the main body of the dish; they soften as they boil until tender.
The step that matters
Testing for doneness. Turnip age changes cooking time widely, so checking tenderness with a fork rather than relying on the clock prevents undercooked or overcooked pieces.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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