Winter Salad
Of Turnips, Apricots & Goat Cheese
I’ve traveled lately. One of the places is Charleston, South Carolina. The heart of the city is the classic historic downtown neighborhood with views on the bay. If looking east, Fort Sumter can be seen in the distance. There are many classic homes of a bygone era, built on the profits of the slave economy. It is an interesting and enjoyable place to learn the history of the area, architecture and of course, my greatest interest, the local food. There are over eight hundred restaurants in greater Charleston and, although many are of average interest and quality, there are more than enough to keep me occupied. I highly recommend a visit there.
My wife and I enjoyed several terrific dining experiences. One of the dishes we selected was a salad of roast turnips, pickled apricots and goat cheese garnished with candied walnuts and arugula. This is not a dish culturally related to the region but a timely salad for the winter months. It is absolutely delicious and easy to prepare with a few simple steps and some advance planning. The recipe for the pickled apricots will make more than you need for this salad but you’ll find many other ways to use them. And, if you don’t care to candy your own walnuts, they can be found at the grocery store or substitute raw walnuts.
WINTER SALAD of TURNIPS, APRICOTS and GOAT CHEESE
Serves 4 servings
Ingredients for Pickled Apricots:
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8 ounces dried apricots, sulfured or unsulfured
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1 cup champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
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1 cup granulated sugar
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1 cup water
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2 tablespoons pickling spice
Method:
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Place apricots in a heatproof glass container
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Combine the rest of the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil
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Turn off the heat and let steep for 5 minutes
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Pour the pickling liquid through a strainer over the apricots and let cool to room temperature
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Cover and refrigerate overnight
Ingredients for the Candied Walnuts:
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1 ½ cups raw walnut halves, or pecans if you prefer
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¼ cup granulated sugar
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1 tablespoon butter
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Pinch of salt
Method:
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Line a small sheet pan with parchment or silpat
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In a medium nonstick skillet, cook the walnuts, butter and sugar over medium heat, stirring frequently until the sugar is melted, caramelized and the nuts are evenly coated. About 3 to 5 minutes
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Immediately, turn the nuts onto the lined pan and separate them one from another so that they don’t become a lump
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Let cool 10 to 15 minutes
Ingredients for the Roast Turnips:
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1 pound purple top turnips
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1 tablespoon olive oil
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Salt and pepper
Method:
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Peel the turnips and cut into even-sized wedges or fingers about a half inch thick
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Toss them in a small bowl with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper
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Place them in one layer on a small sheet pan and roast in a 400F degree oven for anywhere from 30 to 35 minutes or until tender
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Remove from the oven and cool
Ingredients for the Goat Cheese:
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4 ounces of garlic and herb fresh goat cheese, or 4 ounces plain goat cheese and add a small amount of herbs of your choice
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3 tablespoons heavy cream
Method:
- Place the goat cheese and cream in the small bowl of a food processor or use a stick blender and a narrow jar and purée the cheese until smooth
To Assemble the Salad:
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2 ounces arugula
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¼ cup slivered red onion
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Extra virgin olive oil
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Champagne vinegar
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Spread the goat cheese on a serving platter or divide on individual plates
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Arrange the turnips over the cheese
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Remove about a dozen apricots from the pickling liquid, cut them in half and arrange them around the platter or plates
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Distribute the arugula on the salad, then the walnuts and red onion. You will likely have more walnuts than you need
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Drizzle the salad with a little extra virgin olive oil and vinegar and season with some salt and pepper
This may seem complicated but each step is simple and the result well worth it. The pickled apricots will keep in the refrigerator for a month or more. If you don’t use all the walnuts, they too will keep for weeks if kept in a cool, dry place.
Enjoy!