Cassell's dictionary of cookery

Turnip Soup. — Wash and pare half a dozen turnips, and let them lie in cold water for a quarter of an hour. Drain them, and cut them up small. Put them into a stewpan with four ounces of fresh butter and three ounces of lean ham cut into dice, and stir them about over a gentle fire for two or three minutes. Add two or three onions and one or two sticks of celery, and pour over them a pint of stock made from bones. Let them simmer gently till they are quite soft, dredge two handfuls of flour over them, and beat them briskly with a wooden spoon till they are quite smooth. Moisten gradually with two pints of stock, and stir the soup over the fire till it boils. Rub it through a fine hair sieve, let it boil up again, add salt, pepper, and powdered mace, and half a pint of boiling cream, and it will be ready for serving. If liked, a bay-leaf and two or three cloves may be stewed with the other ingredients, and the flour may be omitted, and a little ground rice or arrowroot substituted for it. Send toasted sippets to tabic on a separate dish. Time, two hours and a half, exclusive of the stock. Sufficient for eight or nine persons. Probable cost, 4d. per pint, exclusive of the stock. Turnip-Tops.— Turnip-tops are frequently used as greens. When freshly cut they are very good, and they have a slightly bitter taste which recommends them to many. Trim off the decayed leaves and stems, and wash the greens in several waters. Drain them, and throw them into a saucepan with plenty of boiling water slightly salted. Keep the saucepan uncovered, and let them boil quickly till they are quite tender. When done enough, put them into a colander, and squeeze the water gently from them. Turn them into a hot vegetable-dish, pepper them lightly, and spread a little butter on them; cut the surface across both ways with a knife, and serve. If any of these greens are left, they may be served upagain after being finely chopped with butter and salt, and heated in a saucepan. Time to boil, fifteen to twenty minutes. Probable cost — generally very cheap — Id. or 2d. per poimd. Sufficient, two pounds for three or four persons. Turnip-Tops {see Cabbage, Tumip-Tops, and Greens). Turnips.— These 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 tomash them, press the water well from them, add enough butter, salt, and pepper, with a little powdered white sugar, which greatly improves their flavoiu'. A little flour mixed with the butter renders the turnips less watery when mashed. Turnips, Boiled.— Turnips should only be served whole when they are very young, and then they should be covered with white sauce. When they have reached any size they should be mashed. Pare the turnips, and wash them ; if very young a little of the green top may be left on; if very large they should be divided into halves or even quarters. Throw them into slightly-salted water, and let them boil gently till tender. Drain, and seiwe them. Time to boil, old turnips, three-quarters of an hour to an hour and a half; young turnips, fifteen to twenty-five minutes. Probable cost, 5d. to 7d. per bunch. Sufficient for five or six persons.