Turnip Soup
A delicate, creamy soup made from young turnips stewed in butter and finished with milk. This Anglo-Indian recipe emphasizes a pale, white presentation by carefully stewing the turnips without browning them.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Young turnips, peeled and diced (Choose small, young turnips for sweetness and less fibrous texture)
- 4 cups Water (For initial blanching)
- 2 ounces Fresh butter (Approximately 4 tablespoons)
- 1 tsp Salt (Adjust to taste)
- 0.5 tsp Sugar (Enhances the natural sweetness of the turnips)
- 3 cups Milk (Quantity may vary to achieve pea-soup consistency)
- 4 slices Bread slices (For serving)
- 2 tbsp Oil or Butter (For frying the bread (optional if toasting))
Instructions
- 1Peel the young turnips and cut them into small, uniform pieces (approx. 1/2 inch cubes).
- 2Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the turnip pieces and let them boil vigorously for a few minutes to remove bitterness. Drain and strain thoroughly.
- 3Place the drained turnips into a clean stew-pan with the fresh butter, salt, and sugar. Cover and let them stew gently over low heat until completely soft. CAUTION: Monitor carefully to ensure they do not brown or change color; the soup should remain pale.
- 4While the turnips are stewing, bring the milk to a boil in a separate saucepan.
- 5Add enough boiling milk to the soft turnips to moisten them well. Rub the mixture through a wire sieve (or use an immersion blender) until smooth. Add remaining milk as needed to reach the consistency of pea soup.
- 6Cut bread into cubes or triangles. Fry them in a little butter/oil until golden, or toast them until crisp.