Braised Turnips With Leeks and Bacon

Saute three chopped leeks in olive oil and butter for one minute, then add two or three cloves of minced garlic and a chopped strip of bacon. Saute for ten minutes or until leeks have softened. Add half a cup of chicken broth and a pound or so of turnips cut into matchsticks. Cook, covered, for about twenty minutes or until the turnips soften and turn slightly translucent, depending on the size of your matchsticks. Add two teaspoons chopped parsley and a tablespoon of red wine vinegar, then add salt and pepper and serve. The recipe is from the Joy of Cooking.

I thought this was going to be a colossal failure until I realized I hadn't given the turnips enough time to soften up. The Eatwell newsletter keeps saying that they're great raw, but in this dish half-cooked turnips are terrible. These need to be eaten hot; they quickly get cold and unappetizing if they sit for long at all. Next time I'll be very sparing with the broth; it didn't evaporate much and contributed to the chilly wetness. Turnips are really best roasted, although it takes longer to cook them that way.