Trim turnip greens, leaving about 1/2 inch of stem intact. If turnips are large, quarter them; for baby Hakurei keep whole or halved so pieces are uniform in size. Rinse and pat dry.

Par-cook

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a gentle boil (use about 1 tsp salt per quart). Add turnips and cook 3–4 minutes until just tender when pierced with a paring knife. Drain and immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking, then drain and pat dry.

Sear and glaze

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tbs olive oil and 1 tbs butter. When foam subsides and butter is fragrant, add the drained turnips cut-side down in a single layer. Sear without moving 2–3 minutes until golden and caramelized, then flip and sear the other side 1–2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, add 1 tbs lemon juice and 1 tsp kosher salt, toss to coat and spoon any pan juices over the turnips. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Finish

Just before serving, sprinkle chopped parsley over the turnips and adjust seasoning to taste with a pinch more salt or a squeeze of lemon if desired.

Cashew Agrodolce

Toast & chop cashews

Heat a small dry skillet over medium. Add raw cashews and toast, stirring frequently, 3–5 minutes until fragrant and just golden. Remove and let cool, then roughly chop the cashews and set aside.

Sauté aromatics

In the same skillet, add 1 tbs olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced shallot and cook 2–3 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until aromatic, taking care not to brown.

Build agrodolce

Add 1.5 tbs red wine vinegar, 1 tsp honey, and 3 tbs water to the shallot mixture. Stir and simmer for 1–2 minutes to meld. Season with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Remove from heat, stir in the chopped toasted cashews. Taste and adjust: add a touch more honey if you want sweeter, or a splash more vinegar for brightness. Keep warm or let cool slightly (can be served slightly warm or at room temperature).

Sultanas & Anatto

Soak sultanas

Place 3 tbs sultana raisins in a small bowl and pour 6 tbs warm water over them. Let soak 10 minutes to plump, then drain, reserving 1 tbsp of soaking liquid.

Make anatto oil

In a small saucepan over low heat combine 2 tbs neutral oil and 1 tsp anatto seeds. Warm gently (do not fry) for 5 minutes, swirling occasionally, until oil takes on a deep orange-red hue and fragrant. Remove from heat and let seeds steep for 5 more minutes. Strain out the seeds into a small bowl and reserve the colored oil. Stir in 1/4 tsp smoked paprika if using for extra color and depth.

Combine sultanas with oil

Toss the drained sultanas with 1 tbsp of the reserved soaking liquid and 1 tbs of the anatto oil to coat and warm them slightly. These will be scattered over the plated turnips for sweet, colored bursts.