Turnip with Spring Onions, Kale and Pumpernickel Crumbs

It’s difficult to know what to do with turnip, for years I never did more than chop it, boil it and mash it. This is turnip with a twist, pan fried cubes of turnip, with wilted spring onions on a bed of raw shredded kale leaves (or spinach if you prefer), served with toasted ginger and honey rye bread crumbs which both compliment the earthy turnip and adds a sweetness.

Peel and cut the turnip into discs about a finger width deep, then cut the discs lengthways into batons, and then cut across the batons to make turnip dice. In a heated frying pan melt a little butter and cook the turnip dice for about 5 minutes, allowing them to take on a little colour. Take off the heat and let cool.

Pumpernickel bread is a very heavy, slightly sweet rye bread, also known as rye bread or black bread and not surprisingly given its Germanic origins you can easily find it in your local Aldi or Lidl. Grate two slices of bread or use a blender to make rye bread crumbs. To the breadcrumbs add teaspoon of freshly grated ginger and a teaspoon of honey. Pour the crumbs onto a clean baking tray and pop in the oven on a medium heat (180 degrees) for 5 minutes until the crumbs are toasted. Keep an eye on them and remove from the oven when crisp and not burnt.

For the spring onions, cut them lengthways into long strips and cook in a frying pan until wilted.  Kale leaves have a strong stalk running through the middle of each leaf. Cut this out with a knife and roll the remaining leaf into  a cigar shape and cut across it to finely shred the kale. Add all the components together and serve warm with some seasoning to taste. This dish has the colour of autumn and a deep satisfying robustness, serve with some grilled pork chops or chicken breasts.