Turnip

Turnips, harvested and washed. © Photo: Petréa Mitchell

The turnip is the edible root of the hardy plant Brassica rapa, cultivated as a staple crop throughout the temperate zones of the world.

Turnips grow in cool, moist conditions, in just about any type of soil. Most varieties are sown in the summer, and must be kept from drying out. They ripen in the late autumn and winter.

Turnips are eaten cooked in practically every way, from raw and sliced thin or julienned, to cooked in stews and casseroles, to braised, puréed, or roasted along with meat.

Turnip greens are are sometimes used in salad or prepared like other field greens. Turnips grown for their greens can have them cut every few weeks.