123. In food value, turnips are similar to beets, carrots, and parsnips. They have a strong flavor, which is disliked by many persons and disagrees with some. However, much of this can be dissipated by cooking them with the cover of the kettle removed, so that when properly prepared they furnish a pleasant variety to the winter menu. They have good storing qualities and can be kept very easily through the winter. Toward spring it is more difficult to cook them soft, as the cellulose in them becomes harder and they are likely to develop woody fiber.
124. In preparing turnips for cooking, scrub them until thoroughly clean and then peel, wasting no more of the vegetable than is necessary. They may then be cut up as desired for the recipe to be prepared.
125. STEWED TURNIPS.--When turnips are stewed until tender and then seasoned with salt and pepper and flavored with butter they form a very palatable dish.
To prepare them in this way, select the desired number, scrub them until clean, and then peel them. Cut them into dice about 1/2 inch in size, and put these to cook in boiling salted water, allowing the cover to remain off the kettle during the cooking. Cook until they may be easily pierced with a fork and drain the water from them. Season with additional salt, if necessary, and with pepper, and add 1 tablespoonful of butter for each four persons to be served. Allow the butter to melt and serve hot.
126. MASHED TURNIPS.--Turnips, like potatoes, are a very good vegetable to mash. Prepare the desired number in the manner explained in Art. 125. Cook in boiling salted water with the kettle cover removed. When tender enough to be mashed easily, drain the water from them, mash with a potato masher, and season with additional salt if necessary and with pepper and butter. Allow the butter to melt and serve hot.
127. CREAMED TURNIPS.--Turnips, both yellow and white, make an excellent dish when dressed with a cream sauce. Prepare the desired number of turnips by cleaning and peeling them and cutting them into dice about 1/2 inch in size. Cook until tender in boiling salted water and drain. Prepare a medium white sauce and pour over the turnips. Serve hot.
VEGETABLE COMBINATIONS
128. The recipes given for the various kinds of vegetables pertain in most cases to merely one vegetable, and this is the way in which this food is usually prepared. However, there are times when it is an advantage to combine two or more vegetables. For instance, it is sometimes desired to give additional variety to the menu or to utilize small quantities of vegetable that alone would not be sufficient to serve the family. Then, again, two vegetables are often prepared together in order to obtain an attractive color combination. In view of these facts, several recipes for the most usual combinations of vegetables are here given, so that the housewife may not be at a loss when she wishes to combine two or more vegetables. It must not be thought that these are the only combinations that can be prepared, for often vegetables can be combined to suit the housewife's taste and needs.
129. CARROTS AND PEAS.--If an attractive combination, as well as an appetizing dish, is desired, carrots and peas should be prepared together and served with butter or a vegetable or a cream sauce. This combination may be served plain, but if there are any mashed potatoes on hand and an attractive dish is desired, it may be served in potato rosettes, as shown in Fig. 21.