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Turnip

This excellent vegetable is extensively used in cookery, either alone and boiled whole, mashed in stews, or to flavour soups and sauces. There are many varieties of the turnip. The best are small, finely-grained, juicy, smooth, and sound. When turnips are used for flavouring soups and sauces, it should be remembered that the liquor in which they are boiled will not keep very long, and also that turnips boiled with onions will correct the very strong flavour of the latter. The peel of the turnip, if thoroughly washed, will flavour soup and sauce as well as the vegetable itself. Turnips are seldom served whole, but after being boiled are mashed before being sent to table. When stringy they must be passed through a coarse sieve. In order to mash them, press the water well from them, add enough butter, salt, and pepper, with a little powdered white sugar, which greatly improves their flavour. A little flour mixed with the butter renders the turnips less watery when mashed. Turnips are in season from May till February. They may be had all the year round, but in spring they are only useful for flavouring.