What We’re Cooking This Week: Hakurei Turnip Salad With Caesar-ish Dressing

Jim Dixon wrote astir nutrient for WW for much than 20 years, but these days astir of his clip is spent astatine his oliva oil-focused specialty nutrient business Wellspent Market. Jim’s ever loved to eat, and he encourages his customers to navigator by sending them recipes each week done his newsletter. We’re happy to person him backmost creating immoderate typical dishes conscionable for WW readers.

Some group declare to for illustration turnips, but I don’t judge them. Sure, they’ll support you live during nan agelong bluish wintertime erstwhile there’s not overmuch other to eat. But without a ton of food aliases thing other to disguise their bitter, pungent flavor, turnips conscionable don’t sensation very good. Unless they’re nan Japanese hybrid turnips called hakurei.

Also referred to arsenic crockery turnips, aliases sometimes Tokyo turnips, these fast-growing members of nan immense Brassica family were developed by Japanese works breeders to supply sustenance during nan post-WWII nutrient shortages. Harvested young, erstwhile nan edible guidelines is astir nan size of a play ball, hakurei turnips don’t create nan bitter spirit of much mature turnips. They look successful nan markets for a fewer weeks successful nan outpouring and fall, usually sold successful bunches pinch their greens, which is what you want for this salad.

When you get them home, driblet nan full bunch successful acold water, swirling to loosen up immoderate dirt. Repeat until nan h2o is clear, past usage a crockery spinner aliases shingle them dry. Short stems link nan roots to nan greens, but they’re tender capable to spell successful nan salad. The dressing hits nan ail and anchovy spirit notes of a classical Caesar pinch a mates of elemental shortcuts, but location are easy substitutions if you’re a purist.

Recipe

1 bunch hakurei turnips pinch greens attached

1 tablespoonful vino vinegar

½ spoon ail powder (or 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped)

1 spoon food condiment (or 2 anchovies, finely chopped)

¼ spoon kosher-style oversea salt

2 tablespoons mayo

3 tablespoons other virgin oliva oil

Croutons* and Parmigiano Reggiano food to serve

*You tin make croutons by cutting bully breadstuff into bite-sized cubes and frying it successful oliva lipid complete mean power for astir 10 minutes aliases until lightly browned and crispy

Stir together nan vinegar, ail powder, food sauce, and brackish successful nan bottommost of a ample crockery bowl. Blend successful nan mayo and oliva oil.

Clean nan turnips and greens and trim nan string-like guidelines from nan ends. Cut nan turnips successful half and portion very thinly. Cut nan greens into bite-sized pieces. Add to nan dressing and flip good to overgarment evenly. Serve pinch croutons and freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano.