MMC Challenge Part 10 - Peanut Crusted Oven Roasted Turnips

 Here's the ingredient 10 of MMC challenge 
 

From the judge - "Congratulations on completing challenge 8 and 9. 

Your next ingredient, ingredient number 10 is one of the predominant exports of Gaul civilization and a very important part of Obelix's (as in Asterix and Obelix) diet.

                                 Turnip http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turnip 

As you know Obelix is a very happy guy and likes to eat a lot, we expect your final product to do the same, provide a sumptuous recipe that pleases a guy with picky taste and a big stomach. :)"

M's request/order to make a sumptuous recipe using turnip proved to be harder than I had imagined. The usual traditional sambar, curry recipes were ruled out by him deeming it to be tasty but too ordinary.

When describing the flavor of turnip, its not uncommon to hear that turnip tastes like potatoes when cooked, though I would like to think it tastes pretty unique (in a good way!!). A skim through the world wide web for recipes suggests turnip is often cooked with or like potatoes (think soups, creamed turnip etc). So I decided to cook turnips the way I would potatoes. And roasting them like potatoes was what I did. Simple turnip roast with a bit of oil and spice would be amazing but it still would not qualify for the "out of the box" thinking required for the challenge. I tried to jazz up the texture and taste of the turnips by crusting them with some peanuts and flax meal. This brings an extra dimension to the taste and texture not to mention the exceptional nutritional value of both the peanuts and flax meal. It was a win-win all the way and am sure Obelix will be pleased as well to munch on the crunchy snack!!

Notes:

1. The thinner the turnip slices, the crispier the end product. So cut the turnips according to the level of crispiness you would like. 
2. Be generous with the crust. A lot of the crust will end up on the baking tray. The toasted crumbs do taste very yummy.
3. Baking tips - Each oven behaves differently. So make sure you keep a  close eye on the dish after the 20 min mark. The longer it stays in the oven crispier it gets. So adjust the time according to your preference.

 Ingredients
1 medium sized turnip (peeled and cut into half moon slices, see notes)
2 tbsp Peanut or other oil
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (sherry or balsamic can be used)
1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp red chili powder (cayenne or paprika can be substituted)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup crushed roasted peanuts
1/2 cup Flax meal (or flax seeds coarsely ground)

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 370 F.
2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
3. In a wide bowl mix all the ingredients except turnips until well mixed.
4. Now dredge the turnips evenly with the above mixture. Make sure the trunip pieces are evenly and generously coated with the mixture. 
5. Place the turnips on the prepared baking sheet.
6. Do not over crowd the baking sheet and ensure the turnip pieces do not overlap. 
7. Bake for 30 - 40 min and turn the pieces over mid way through the baking (around 12-15 min mark). 
8. The roasting is done when the crust dries out and is golden brown in color and aromatic. 
9. Serve as a side or a snack.

Enjoy !!