Roasted Hakurei Turnips and Radishes

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Ever try roasting Hakurei turnips or radishes? No? Then you are in for a treat! Roasting brings out their sweetness and transforms them in a very delicious way.

We’ve been having some cool weather here.

Not even midsummer around these parts can completely stop a cold front from moving in. It’s been chilly enough for jackets during the morning, blankets at night, and to put me in the mood to turn on the oven in the evening. I admit, though, that hot weather wouldn’t stop me if I wanted to cook, and I know more hot weather is coming soon!

As it should in the summer. 🙂

That is what I have an air conditioner for, even if I don’t use it much. But I’m always happy not to turn it on when I don’t need to. Open windows and fans take care of us most of the summer with air conditioning for a few days here and there when the food in the pantry is melting and so am I.

Happily, the cool weather means I don’t mind turning on my oven right now. And that means I can make roasted veggies! Which I love any time of the year, but are especially good with fresh, local produce.

Another thing that’s great about local produce it that is doesn’t need much to be at its best. Sometimes the simplest recipes are the best, and this recipe for roasted turnips and radishes is one of those times.

I don’t even dirty two pans, but instead roast the greens right in the same dish with the vegetables. When I was doing research for my Hakurei turnip ingredient spotlight (coming on Friday!), I noticed that a lot of recipes for roasted turnips and their greens cooked the greens separately, and I have no idea why! Roasting is as good for greens as it is for turnips and radishes. A little oil, a little salt, and some super fresh, local vegetables. How can you go wrong? And the great thing about roasting is that it completely transforms both the turnips and the radishes.

Even my husband enjoyed them, and I generally can’t get him to eat a radish.

Even my husband enjoyed them, and I generally can’t get him to eat a radish.

My husband giving it the thumbs up is just short of a miracle (brussels sprouts is the big test for him), and this for a recipe that takes only twenty minutes, four ingredients, and one pan.

– Happy Eating, Annemarie

5 from 2 votes

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Roasted Hakurei Turnips and Radishes

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

25 mins

 

Sweet Hakurei turnips and young radishes are tossed with olive oil and roasted with their greens in this simple and satisfying side dish.

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 125 kcal

Author: Just a Little Bit of Bacon

Ingredients

• 1 bunch radishes
• 1 bunch Hakurei turnips, or other mild salad turnips
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

1. Move the rack in the oven to the lower middle position. Place the roasting pan in the oven. Preheat oven to 425F.
2. Slice the greens off the turnips and radishes. Scrub the turnips and radishes well to remove all the dirt and grit from the vegetables, and rinse the greens repeatedly until they are grit free. If you left a little bit of the stem on the radishes and turnips, make sure you clean around it well since dirt collects there. I find scraping around the stem as I wash cleans it up nicely.
3. Cut the turnips and radishes into wedges. Halve the small ones, and quarter or sixth the larger ones. In a large bowl, toss the vegetables with 2 tbsp of olive oil and 1/2 tsp of salt. Pour the vegetables into the roasting pan, arranging them so most have a flat side down in the pan. Roast for 15 minutes, stirring and turning the vegetables at 7 minutes.
4. Dry the washed greens to remove most of the water. Roughly chop the greens into bite-sized pieces, then toss them in the large bowl with the rest of the olive oil and the salt. Pull the roasting pan out of the oven, turn and stir the vegetables again and then make a space for the greens. Spread out the greens in the space and return the pan to the oven. Roast for 5 minutes more.

Recipe Notes

One bunch is about 1/2 - 3/4 of a pound of turnips or radishes.

Try to pick bunches with nice, green leaves since you will be eating them as well. Pick through the leaves once you have cut them from the vegetables and remove any yellow or brown leaves.

If you want the vegetables and greens even darker and crispier, roast for 2-3 minutes more, but watch the pan carefully since they can go from beautifully brown to burnt rather quickly at this point.

To double the recipe, use two roasting pans so you don't crowd the vegetables.

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