Confidence (Turnips with breadcrumbs)

Speaking to a vegetable that reminds me of my inner knowing

Turnips aren’t asking for your approval. They aren’t the popular girl at the party, no beauty queens among them. They are themselves, unapologetic, and I love them. 

Sliced thin, browned in olive oil, tossed with crispy breadcrumbs and their greens if they’re in season. Maybe some ruffled pasta to make it a meal. Their high bitter flavor challenges you and melts into sweetness as their texture softens.

The feeling of confidence that turnips speak to me can be elusive when I’m not in the kitchen. What to do with turnips? No problem. What I’m doing with my life? A more nuanced recipe.

If life were a videogame, I’d describe it this way: I feel confident about where I am and how I’m playing, but less confident about what the rest of the map looks like, and how the path I’m on connects to other paths. And yet, I’m also aware that what erodes my confidence is telling myself I don’t know where I’m going, when that’s not exactly true.

Confidence within uncertainty is familiar territory, actually. When I worked at Facebook, one of my strengths as a leader was helping my teams and partners feel safe and grounded even when we didn’t know what major world events or internal reorganizations would happen next. So even though I’ve never been here before, I can call on my skills forged in experiences that felt similar.

The turnips ask me questions. What does success look like? What is my objective? My objective is a feeling. It’s an inner state with clear external outcomes. It’s a state in which I am using my gifts, which inspires others to use theirs. A state in which I have enough energy to sustain work that’s meaningful and enough wisdom to recharge without judgment or complaint. It’s a state in which these actions provide for my family in a material sense, pay our bills and put food on our table, as well as enrich our relationships and sense of community. 

In some ways, I am already in this state, but I feel a greater capacity for it to grow in intensity, and to leap beyond the transitional financial state we’re in, which is living off money I’ve saved from my previous work as well as my husband’s current labor, and into something new where I am earning money that both aligns with my consciousness and is regenerative for the community that contributes to it. Our wealth appreciates together. 

That’s my objective, and I’m quite open about how I get there, which sometimes leads to some confusion. But though my mind may swirl, my body knows which way to go, and I keep taking steps, incremental and small though they may be. Slicing a turnip, frying it in oil, taking it to a friend’s house, surprising everyone with the unexpected gift.

Recipe as feeling: Confidence (Turnips with breadcrumbs)

Appreciate a feeling’s many forms.

Slice through your self-doubt.

Let flavor and texture develop over time.

Join up with friends.

Actual recipe

Turnips with breadcrumbs

Serves 6-8 as a side dish

INGREDIENTS:
6-8 turnips, any kind (if they’re larger, use fewer; for the small hakurei or salad turnips, use more)
A lot of olive oil
A handful of breadcrumbs (about ½ cup) – store-bought panko work fine or you can use your own if you have them on hand
Salt and pepper
Optional: Any additional seasoning (a minced herb like rosemary or thyme works well, or your favorite spice or spice mix. I used this savory mix from Ami Ami Foods, which has an earthy crunch from the pinenuts. But keep it simple – flaky salt and pepper are just fine too.)

EQUIPMENT:
Cutting board and sharp 8-inch chef’s knife
A large, flat frying pan
A small frying pan or shallow saucepan
Tongs
A pretty dish for serving

Wash and dry the turnips. Slice them as thinly as you can into pieces about 1 ½ inch wide. Heat your pan on medium-high and pour in enough olive oil to completely cover the surface of the pan, and a little extra. When the oil is hot, add some of the turnips, so that they all have enough space to brown and aren’t overlapping each other. Season with salt and pepper. When the turnips’ edges are golden brown and crispy and the center of them is softened, remove with the tongs to a bowl, and repeat with remaining batches. NOTE: You can also roast the turnips on a parchment-covered baking sheet at 425℉ if you don’t want to fry them.

Meanwhile, in your smaller pan, add more oil over medium-high heat, and when it’s hot, add the breadcrumbs and any seasoning or herbs you are using. Keep them moving and when they are brown and fragrant, remove them from the heat immediately (they burn quickly so keep an eye on them).

Layer the browned turnips and the breadcrumbs in your pretty dish and serve warm or at room temperature.

Turnips with breadcrumbs and greens

INGREDIENTS:
Recipe above, plus the greens of the turnips
Salt and pepper

Submerge the turnip greens in cold water and swish to remove any loose dirt. You may need to repeat this 2-3 times until the water is clear. Drain and let the greens dry while you slice and fry the turnips and breadcrumbs as in the recipe above. Tear the greens with your hands into pieces, or slice them if you prefer more even pieces.

After the turnips are cooked, remove the last ones from the pan and add the greens and salt and pepper. Cook until they are bright green and softened, and then toss them with the cooked turnips and layer them in the dish with the breadcrumbs.

Turnips with breadcrumbs and pasta

Serves 4 as a main dish

INGREDIENTS:
Recipe above, with or without greens
½ pound short ruffled pasta, such as Sfoglini trumpets
Enough water to boil the pasta
Kosher salt for the pasta water

EQUIPMENT:
As above, plus a large pot for boiling pasta
A spider or slotted spoon
(Make sure the frying pan you’re using for the turnips is big enough to also hold the cooked pasta, and has a lid)

Fill your pasta pot with water and a large pinch of kosher salt. Bring to a boil while you prepare the turnips as described in the recipe above.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for the time specified on the package MINUS THREE MINUTES. At that point, scoop the pasta along with ½ cup pasta cooking water into the oily pan in which you fried the turnips, and add the turnips back to the pan. Stir and bring the heat of the pan up so that the mixture is bubbling, then cover the pan and turn the heat to low. Cook for 3 minutes, then check the pasta for doneness. You may need to add more cooking water, or keep cooking until the water is evaporated, or add salt, pepper, or more olive oil.

When the pasta is done and nicely mixed with the turnips, sprinkle breadcrumbs on top and serve.