When it comes to cooking with fresh veggies, almost nothing makes me happier than using the WHOLE vegetable, from leaf to root. If you know me well, you know I HATE throwing away food. (Did you know that almost 40% of the food grown in America ends up in landfills?) It may not seem like it, but using every edible part of a fruit/vegetable is one of that many ways we can avoid unnecessary food waste in our landfills. (No, you don’t have to peel your apples or carrots; just wash them very well). Using the whole vegetable is only one way we can help fight food waste, but you can check out 9 more ways here!
That being said, pan-fried Japanese turnips is an easy “no waste” side dish that utilizes every inch of these delicious little root vegetables. I had bought these Japanese turnips from my local urban farm, Brooklyn Grange, and honestly didn’t know what to do with them at first. All I knew is that I wasn’t to use the whole vegetable in a simple, quick, and delicious recipe, and so here is what I came up with (without disappointment).
Side note: The same principle can be applied to other similar vegetables. You can use both the greens and the root (aka the actual “edible” part of the veggie we’re used to eating) of carrots, beets, turnips, etc.
Pan-Fried Japanese Turnips
Equipment
- Skillet
- Medium pot
- Bowl of ice water
Ingredients
- 1 bunch Japanese turnips, washed and dried (about 1 lb)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- salt and pepper, to taste
- extra olive oil, for drizzling over the finished dish
Instructions
- Bring a medium pot of water to boil.
- Cut off the stems/leaves from the turnips, and put turnips to the side. Roughly chop the stems and leaves and add to the boiling water for 2 minutes. Remove them and place them in a bowl of ice water for 1 minute to shock them (aka stop them from continuing to cook). Remove them from the ice water and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat.
- Cut each turnip in half and add to the skillet. Cook for 6-7 minutes, until the turnips start to brown. Add in the garlic and turnip greens, and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, drizzle over a little extra olive oil, and enjoy!