Sausage & Turnips
This is a fantastic Thanksgiving side dish and can be made ahead. The combination of the savory sausage with the whole turnip (greens and bulb) mades a perfect pair.
Turn your oven to 350. Remove the turnips from the greens if attached. Remove tough center rib from the leaves and roughly chop. Wash and dry the greens thoroughly.
If using sausage links or brats, remove the casings and slice them into 1" pieces. Brown sausage in oil for just a few minutes; it does not have to be cooked all the way through. If you're using bulk sausage, break it apart with the edge of a wooden spoon as you go. Remove the mostly-cooked sausage from the pan and place in a lightly oiled casserole dish.
Scrub the turnips. Peel them if they're tough or large. Dice into ~ 1⁄4" cubes. Blanch in boiling salted water and refresh in ice water 2 minutes. Drain well.
Heat up the skillet (where you cooked the sausage) to medium-high. If there is a ton of fat left, pour some off. Melt the butter on top of the remaining drippings, and add the turnips. Raise the heat to medium high and toss the turnips in the butter. Add in the greens and stir to coat, and season with salt and pepper. Add the stock and cook until the liquid has reduced by half.
Turn off the heat under the skillet and mix the sausage into the turnips and stock. Transfer it all back to the baking or casserole dish. If making ahead, stop here, allow to cool and then cover and refrigerate. Set it out to allow it to come up to room temp an hour before baking.
Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until the turnips can be pierced with a knife point.
Ingredients
Directions
Turn your oven to 350. Remove the turnips from the greens if attached. Remove tough center rib from the leaves and roughly chop. Wash and dry the greens thoroughly.
If using sausage links or brats, remove the casings and slice them into 1" pieces. Brown sausage in oil for just a few minutes; it does not have to be cooked all the way through. If you're using bulk sausage, break it apart with the edge of a wooden spoon as you go. Remove the mostly-cooked sausage from the pan and place in a lightly oiled casserole dish.
Scrub the turnips. Peel them if they're tough or large. Dice into ~ 1⁄4" cubes. Blanch in boiling salted water and refresh in ice water 2 minutes. Drain well.
Heat up the skillet (where you cooked the sausage) to medium-high. If there is a ton of fat left, pour some off. Melt the butter on top of the remaining drippings, and add the turnips. Raise the heat to medium high and toss the turnips in the butter. Add in the greens and stir to coat, and season with salt and pepper. Add the stock and cook until the liquid has reduced by half.
Turn off the heat under the skillet and mix the sausage into the turnips and stock. Transfer it all back to the baking or casserole dish. If making ahead, stop here, allow to cool and then cover and refrigerate. Set it out to allow it to come up to room temp an hour before baking.
Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until the turnips can be pierced with a knife point.