CARAMELIZED TURNIPS WITH CAPERS, LEMON, & PARSLEY

Autumn , my favorite season, is when I start to see turnips appearing at the farmers’ market. The turnips I see today are very different from the ones I remember from my childhood. My mom would buy large orange turnips at the market, boil them, and purée them with butter. Today, there are many varieties of small bulb turnips, which are typically broiled or baked in the oven and served cubed with seasoning. While I do love both ways, I tend to prefer the crispy roasted cubes. This recipe uses small turnips, which are sweet and slightly crunchy. It’s a lovely side dish for just about any meal!

2 servings
1 1b small turnips (approx. 6)
1 tblspn olive oil
Salt & Pepper
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tblsn capers, rinsed
Zest of 1/2 lemon
2 tblspn parsley, roughly chopped
Juice of 1/2 lemon to taste
Heat oven 400F

Lightly peel turnips. I find the white ones mostly need the stem trimmed and washed with a vegetable brush.
Halve lengthwise and slice into half moons 1/2 inch thick then cut in half.
Toss in a bowl with olive oil, capers, garlic, salt and pepper to coat.
Transfer to a large cast iron pan so they are single layer.
Bake in oven approximately 15 minutes stirring a few times as they brown.
To serve, toss in a bowl with lemon zest and parsley. Drizzle lemon juice on top before serving.
If not serving immediately, leave a room temperature for a few hours or refrigerate and bring to room temperature, before reheating in oven at 400F for 10 minutes.

Bon appétit