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4 tablespoons butter

1 onion, halved and thinly sliced

¼ cup all-purpose flour

2 cups milk

2 cups lightly packed grated Gruyère or cheddar cheese (8 ounces)

Salt and freshly ground pepper

3–4 turnips, peeled and sliced paper thin (about 3 cups)

1 small rutabaga, peeled and sliced paper thin (about 3 cups)

½ cup fresh breadcrumbs

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter or oil a 2-quart baking dish.

2 Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the flour to make a smooth paste. Cook for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk and cook until thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in 1½ cups of the cheese and remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

3 Spread a little of the cheese sauce in the prepared baking dish. Layer the turnip and rutabaga slices in the dish. Cover with the remaining sauce.

4 Mix the breadcrumbs and remaining ½ cup cheese in a small bowl. Sprinkle on top of the mixture in the baking dish.

5 Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, until the vegetables are fork-tender. Serve hot.

Turnip Puff

Serves 4

Not all root-vegetable dishes are rustic, as this elegant casserole proves. Turnip doubters may be converted with this light dish. You can also prepare it with rutabagas in place of the turnips.

4 cups peeled and cubed turnip (about 2 pounds)

4 tablespoons butter

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 onion, finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 eggs, separated

½ cup fresh breadcrumbs

1 Cover the turnips with salted water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain well.

2 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 1-quart casserole dish.

3 Combine the turnips, 3 tablespoons of the butter, the garlic, and the onion in a medium bowl. Mash well, but do not purée; it will not be completely smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the egg yolks and beat until smooth.

4 Beat the egg whites in a clean bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold one-third of the egg whites into the turnip mixture to lighten it. Carefully fold in the remaining egg whites. Spoon the turnip mixture into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the breadcrumbs. Dot with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter.

5 Bake for about 40 minutes, until the top is golden. Serve hot.

Spicy Turnip Stir-Fry

Serves 4–6

A very quick way to prepare turnips is to make a stir-fry. Be sure the turnips are cut into fine matchsticks for the quickest cooking and best appearance. The black bean sauce, which gives this stir-fry its distinctive flavor, is made from fermented soybeans. It is available wherever Chinese foods are sold.

SAUCE

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 (½-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced

¼ cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil

1 tablespoon Chinese black bean sauce

1 tablespoon Chinese chili paste with garlic

2 teaspoons sugar

VEGETABLES

2 tablespoons peanut or sunflower oil

3 large turnips, peeled and cut into matchsticks

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Hot cooked white rice, for serving

1 To make the sauce, mix together the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, black bean sauce, chili paste, and sugar. Set aside.

2 Heat the oil in a wok or skillet over high heat. Add the turnips and stir-fry until just barely tender, about 3 minutes.

3 Add the sauce and toss to coat. Cover and let steam until the turnips are tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in the cilantro, if using. Serve hot, with rice.

Kitchen Note: The cilantro adds both flavor and color. If you don’t have the fresh herb on hand, consider adding some color in the form of frozen peas added with the sauce or carrots cut in matchsticks added with the turnips.

Stuffed Sweet Dumplings

Serves 4

Sweet dumpling and buttercup winter squashes are ideal for stuffing because of their size and ability to sit firmly in a baking dish. Both are teacup shaped and about 4 inches in diameter. The ivory-colored skin of the sweet dumpling has the same