My turnip obsession continues.  It's like I've got some kind of masochistic streak in me.  I don't like the things much but I can't stay away from them.  I've been spending some time ('cause god knows I've got so much of that to spare right now) thinking about why turnips have become so embedded in my psyche.
Here are some of the reasons that I've come up with:
1.  It's the challenge.  They basically suck.  I am the super hero who can change all of that.  I can find a way to rescue turnips from their own suckiness.  It's like that guy you were dating because you were pretty sure that if you could just work on him for a while that your love would rescue him... yeah, that totally worked.

2.  They're big - usually.  I have to use them to 2 or 3 dishes because using a whole turnip for one dish is really just unthinkable quantities of turnip all up in your face.

3.  I feel some sort of seasonal commitment at the moment.  Maybe it won't last forever or maybe it's my new paradigm, I'm not sure yet.  Whatever it is it means that turnips are, at least for the moment, a part of my late winter world.  I've accepted it and am moving on.

4.  I feel somehow sorry for the butt-ugly turnip.  Somehow my weird-ass brain has personified this vegetable and if I don't use it I feel like I'm rejecting it.  Weird-ass brain.

I love that UK food magazines are picking up on this whole seasonal thing in a way that North American ones just simply are not.  It's cool.  I'm finding parsnips, rutabaga, squash, turnip... all that crap.  So it was in the Good Food magazine that I found this Swede Fritters recipe.  I passed it by completely the first few times I paged through the magazine.  Somehow today it just caught my eye and my imagination.  Why hadn't I thought of this before.  It makes so much sense.  Adding bacon aside, spicing the living crap out of turnips would definitely improve them right?  RIGHT.  Yes.  I've done it.


I've rescued turnips from themselves.  From their drab, frumpy little corner of the root cellar.  (Number 1 covered)  I have found a way to use up that half that was leftover from the stew last week.  (Number 2 covered)  I have found a way to use turnip on their own - just a little onion - no other vegetable.  Completely seasonal. (Number 3 covered)  I used turnip.  I no longer feel guilty about it sitting in the bottom of my fridge waiting for my pot.  (Number 4 covered)
Make these.  They really don't suck at all.  I reheated 3 for work today and they were fan-friggin-tastic without any condiments at all.  I would make these again anytime.  And they were easy.  I still don't like turnip much but I no longer feel guilty or afraid that it can't be redeemed.  If only I hadn't ordered another one.


Turnip 'Pakora' Fritters adapted from 'Good Food Magazine UK'
made about 14 med/small ones

4 cups turnip/rutabaga diced fairly evenly
3/4 cup all purpose flour
plain yogurt
whole milk
1 lg egg
1 small onion, diced
2 tsp garam masala
2 tsp curry powder (I used west indian)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp cardamom
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp pepper sauce or cayenne
oil for frying

Boil the diced turnip for only 15 minutes or until just softened.  Drain and set aside.
In a bowl mix the yogurt, milk, egg and mix well.
Add in the onion, garam masala, curry powder, cumin, salt, turmeric, coriander, cardamom, sugar and cayenne.  Mix well.  Finally add in the flour and mix well until it forms a paste.
Mash the turnips but only barely.
Add the turnip to the flour mixture.  Mix well.
Heat a large frying pan over medium heat.  Add the oil of your choice - I used lard that I had rendered but you could also use coconut oil or ghee for something authentic.  Otherwise just go with what you have. - to the hot pan.  Place about 1/4 -1/3 of a cup of mixture into the hot oil and quickly form into a rough circle.  You can put as many circles in the pan as will fit.  Turn after 3 - 4 minutes on each side.  It should be golden brown and slightly crispy.  Once both sides are done remove the fritter from the pan and place on a paper towel to rack to cool and drain just a bit.
Serve all alone or with your favourite chutney or tamarind sauce.