Tell the truth: Puglia or not, you have all thought of orecchiette . The combination with turnip tops is universally recognized as a winner to create a dish of Italian tradition that the world envies us.
But perhaps the beneficial properties of turnip greens, their nutritional value, are less known.
And even less known are the alternative recipes that use turnip greens in other ways.
We will see together why it is worth increasing the consumption of turnip greens, and how to use them in some tasty recipes.
Turnip greens: what they are
Attention: what we commonly call " turnip greens " are not really - as one could imagine from the name - turnip leaves. Or rather, they can also include some leaves, but these are the stems and flowers that are still closed (the buds, so to speak, called broccoli or friarielli ). Turnip greens are the edible part of the subspecies sylvestris, of the Rapa species, belonging to the Brassicaceae family; their botanical name is therefore Brassica rapa sylvestris ; there are different qualities, with different shape, sowing period and flowering time.
Generally, turnip greens are marketed as whole shoots (still joined from the root base), like flowers (inflorescence) without leaves and also as leaves without flowers.
They are green and vary in length between 15 and 100 cm .
It is always advisable to buy fresh turnip greens, ie leaves and stems should not be limp, and the flowers should be completely closed.
Turnip greens: why use them
Turnip tops, as we have seen, belong to the precious brassicaceae family (cabbage & co., So to speak), which is often cited as protective against the development of severe pathologies due to its high antioxidant content .
The nutritional content of turnip greens boasts a modest caloric intake, high amounts of fiber, abundance of minerals, iron, calcium and vitamins A, C, K and B (Folate ). The only contraindication to excessive consumption of turnip greens is their considerable purine content, molecules that can exacerbate hyperuricemia and / or gout problems.
Given these nutritional characteristics, we can thus summarize the beneficial properties of turnip greens :
> Detoxifying.
> Stimulants for appetite.
> Mineralizing.
> Anti-stress (given their high magnesium content).
> Antioxidants.
> Anti-inflammatory.
Turnip tops: how to use them in the kitchen, 3 recipes
Since they do so well, it is worth learning how to cook them in a tasty and varied way, so you can often have them on the table. First of all, remember that turnip greens are eaten cooked : the cooking and preparation methods vary according to the final product, but what all the turnip greens have in common is their cleanliness; first of all, it is advisable to wash them thoroughly ; secondly, the root portion must be eliminated (where present) and, if necessary, the damaged leaves.
1. A classic: orecchiette with turnip tops
Ingredients for 5 people :
> 1 bunch of turnip greens;
> 500 g of orecchiette;
> 2 cloves of garlic;
> chilli powder to taste;
> EVO oil;
> salt to taste.
Preparation
Clean the turnip greens, boil them adding a handful of salt. At the end of cooking, drain with a sieve and leave to dry, keeping the cooking water, in which the orecchiette will be cooked.
Meanwhile, in a large pan, pour the oil, sauté the garlic, add the broccoli and cook. Once the orecchiette are drained, add them to the pan with the broccoli, mix and sprinkle with the chilli pepper.
2. A super cool recipe: the detoxifying vegan smoothie
Ingredients
> 1 bunch of turnip tops;
> 1 handful of spinach leaves (about 100 g);
> 1 organic apple;
> 1 organic cucumber.
Preparation
Steam the turnip greens, leave to cool, then whisk with the fresh spinach, the apple and the sliced cucumber, until the desired consistency is reached. You can use this drink as a lunch or dinner for a cleansing day, or as a purifying aperitif.
3. A vegetarian recipe: meatballs with turnip tops
Ingredients for 4 people
> 500 g of turnip tops
> grated parmesan and breadcrumbs to taste
> 1 egg
> 1 handful of parsley
> 1 pinch of chili powder
> 1 clove of garlic.
Preparation
Clean the turnip greens, squeeze and chop them ; mix them with the Parmesan, the egg, the parsley, the garlic (chopped) and the chili pepper. Mix well and form balls that will be covered with breadcrumbs. As an alternative (more healthy) to frying, place them in a pan on baking paper and cook for about 15 minutes in a preheated oven at 180 degrees.
NB in the vegan alternative, the egg will be replaced with 2 tablespoons of potato starch.
