BearLeek honors this underrated root with the culinary respect it deserves.
“Turnips aren’t always the most obvious choice, so the goal was to make them feel delicious and approachable. This is very much the BearLeek approach, to take something simple but make it delicious and deeply satisfying.”—chef Rema Maaliki, BearLeek
Honey Roasted Turnips with Tahini Miso
Ingredients
Honey Roasted Turnips
- 2 bunches baby turnips (greens attached)
- 2 c. water
- 4 tsp. salt
- 1 tbsp. honey
- 1 tbsp. garlic oil
- sesame seeds (for garnish)
Tahini Miso
- ⅓ c. miso
- 1¼ c. tahini
- 1 tbsp. garlic confit
- 2½ tbsp. honey
- 1½ c. water
Directions
- Pickle the turnip greens. Separate the greens from the turnips and cut the greens into bitesized pieces. In a bowl, dissolve 1 tablespoon of salt in 2 cups of water to make a brine. Add the greens and set aside to lightly pickle. Before serving, drain and gently squeeze excess liquid from the greens.
- Salt the turnips. Trim and halve the baby turnips. Toss them with 4 teaspoons of salt and let sit for about 20 minutes to draw out excess moisture. Discard the released liquid and pat dry with paper towels.
- Roast the turnips. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Toss the turnips with honey and garlic oil until well coated. Spread the turnips in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast until lightly charred and caramelized, about 3 minutes.
- Make the tahini miso. In a blender, combine the miso, tahini, garlic confit, honey, and ¾ cup of water. Blend until smooth, then add in the remaining water and blend again.
- Assemble. Spoon the tahini miso onto a serving plate. Arrange the roasted turnips over the sauce. Garnish with the pickled greens, sesame seeds, and a drizzle of olive oil. Finish with a light sprinkle of salt, if needed, and serve warm.
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