Japanese Turnips with Orange Rosemary Pan Sauce

Turnips are a root vegetable that make a great addition to soups and stews, particularly if you’re avoiding nightshades and can’t do potatoes (see my AIP Notato Salad and Scalloped No-Tatoes for inspiration). They can be a little off-putting when eaten raw, but when cooked they have a lovely, sweet, earthy flavor.

Japanese turnips are a little different though. Also called white salad turnips, they’re distinct from the turnips you might be used to thanks to a milder, sweeter flavor when raw. In fact, Japanese turnips are more reminiscent of a mild radish than the standard turnips than most of us are familiar with. That means they’re just as yummy sliced into a salad as they are sauced and sauteed. But, boy oh boy, are they ever delicious sauced and sauteed!

This dish makes a fabulous side for a meatier dinner like roast lamb or beef, but could easily accompany something light like fish as well.

To make these turnips AIP-friendly, use lard or duck fat instead.

Prep time: 10-15 minutes
Cook time: 14-16 minutes
Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:

• 16 oz turnips, sliced 1/8″ thick
• 2 large oranges
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
• 3 tbsp ghee
• 1/4 tsp salt, plus more to taste

Directions:

1. Use a microplane zester, finely grate peel from one or both oranges to get 1 Tablespoon of orange zest.  Juice both oranges.
2. Heat skillet over medium-high heat and add ghee.
3. Add turnip slices and saute, stirring frequently, until they start to brown, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Add half of the orange juice, rosemary and salt.  Continue to cook, stirring relatively frequently, until turnips are browned and fully cooked (soft but not mushy), about 10-12 minutes.
5. Add remaining orange juice and salt, stir to form a sauce then immediately remove from heat and serve. (If your sauce seems too runny, let the orange juice evaporate for 30 seconds or so, but don’t heat too long or the sauce will separate.)
6. Enjoy!