Pan-Roasted Turnips

Eat your vegetables. Eat a variety of vegetables! Splendid Table on NPR featured this delicious Italian pan-roasted turnip dish. It will change your mind about some of the under-appreciated vegetables you pass by at the market. Follow this recipe and add a variety of other root vegetables like rutabagas and parsnips for a colorful and flavorful medley.

 Ingredients:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 pounds turnips, scrubbed and quartered
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 tablespoon paprika
1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Directions:

1. In a 10- to 12-inch sauté pan, heat the butter over medium-high heat until it melts and begins to brown. Add the turnips, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat well. Add the poppy seeds and sauté until the turnips are light golden brown, 8 to 9 minutes.
2. Add the paprika, tossing to coat. Add the vinegar, bring to a boil, and cook until it has evaporated. Serve hot.
   
   Excerpted from Molto Italiano: 327 Simple Italian Recipes to Cook at Home. © 2005 by Mario Batali. Published by Ecco Press.
   
   Makes 4 servings