Roasted Turnips with Caper Raisin Vinaigrette

SO GOOD!!!

I’m still going strong on my grocery store and dinner idea list that I made out before the snow storm started. Cooking some from Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables by Josh McFadden. This is delicious, so satisfying, and well rounded. The caper vinaigrette could be used on so many things. Umami is the only way to describe it. This is a great introduction to turnips if you’ve not tried them. I was late to adding my breadcrumbs, but eventually did toast some from a sour dough loaf. It was great still without, but does add a bit more texture to the mix.

Recipes from Josh McFadden. Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables.

Roasted Turnips with Caper-Raisin Vinaigrette and Breadcrumbs

The sweet tart vinaigrette stands up nicely to the pungency of a late-season turnip.

»Serves 4

1½ pounds turnips, trimmed, peeled, and cut into ½-inch wedges (if the turnips are very large, halve them first so the wedges aren't too long)

Extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Juice of ½ lemon

⅓ cup Caper-Raisin Vinaigrette (page 39)

⅓ cup dried breadcrumbs (page 30)

Heat the oven to 450°F. Put a baking sheet in to heat too.

Toss the turnips with a small glug of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

When the oven is at temperature and the baking sheet is very hot, carefully remove it and dump the turnips onto it. Spread them out evenly so they are all cut side down, return to the oven, and roast until the turnips are nicely tender and browned around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes.

Pile the turnips into a big bowl. Toss with the lemon juice and then with the vinaigrette. Taste and adjust with more salt or pepper. Toss with the breadcrumbs and serve.

Caper-Raisin Vinaigrette

This recipe is adapted from Mr. Wilkinson's

Vegetables by Matt Wilkinson, a chef based in

Melbourne, Australia. It's magically great with many things, in particular turnips, asparagus, broccoli, and cauliflower. Keep some around at all times; you won't have a problem finding things to do with it.

• Makes about ¾ cup

2 tablespoons plus

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

½ cup golden raisins

3 garlic cloves, peeled

3 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained

One 2-ounce can anchovy fillets, drained

¾ cup lightly packed flat-leaf parsley leaves

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

Put the vinegar and raisins in a little bowl and let the raisins plump for about 30 minutes.

Put the garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely minced, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Add the capers and anchovies and pulse until you have a coarse paste. Add the parsley and puise until completely chopped, again scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Add the raisins and vinegar and pulse until the mixture is blended but still slightly coarse. Scrape

the mixture from the processor into a bowl and whisk in the olive oil to make a slightly chunky dressing. Taste and adjust with salt or more oil, it needed. Store in the fridge for up 10 3 weeks.

MORE WAYS:

→ Spoon over grilled eggplant slices.

→ Fold into ratatouille.

→ Toss with steamed broccoli or broccoli rabe.

Dried

Breadcrumbs

I use breadcrumbs for extra texture and flavor.

Make a big batch and store them in your pantry, ready to finish a pasta, salad, gratin... anything that wants a toasty crunch.

»Quantity is up to you

The better the bread, the better the crumbs; I like whole grain. Cut the bread into ½-inch thick slices, leaving the crust on. Cut the slices into cubes and then spread them in an even layer on a baking sheer (or more than one pan, if making a lot; a 12-ounce loaf should fit onto one pan).

Heat the oven to its lowest setting, usually about 250°F. Bake the cubes until they are fully dry, but nor browned. This could take an hour or more, depending on the bread's moisture and density.

Cool fully and then process into crumbs by pulsing in a food processor. The goal is small crumbs more or less the same size, though some bigger ones are fine-think Grape-Nuts. You want to avoid too much fine powder, however, so stop once or twice and pour off the finer crumbs or shake through a colander and then continue to crush the remaining big pieces.

Store the crumbs in an airtight container. If fully dry, they'll stay fresh for a few weeks.

Soaking the raisins ( I think the medley gives more variety to the final flavor.) in some balsamic vinegar.

Other notes:

The wolf moon bright night before last.

^ an excellent Abby Hamilton and Bee Taylor show at the Burl. Where lots of dancing around and gin and sodas (my favorite order out drink) were had. (And much needed I might add before the wildness of this week began.) I find that I enjoy making dinner each night to unwind or reset.

Also, this very good olive oil that my friend Melissa brought me from Greece had to help on elevating the whole dish.

Chamomile tea with sunflower honey ^

I have a Speak Your Piece coming your way. And an excellent Peruvian chicken cauli rice soup from last night. So good I considered (and maybe I still am considering) going out and making a double batch today and it’s so good for you.

Alex