Turnips? Turnips. Turnips!

Creamy Turnip & Turnip Greens Soup

For best flavor, seek out the small white turnips known as Tokyo turnips for this recipe. They are usually about 1 1/2 inches in diameter, mild and sweet, and so thin-skinned that you don't need to peel them.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound small turnips, with very fresh greens attached

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for garnish

1 cup thinly sliced leeks, white and pale green part only

1 large clove garlic, minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Approximately 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

INSTRUCTIONS:

Separate the turnips from their greens. Trim the greens, removing tough stems, and wash well. Peel turnips unless they are thin-skinned. (Tokyo turnips -- see introduction -- do not require peeling.) Quarter the turnips, or cut larger ones into six wedges.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over moderate heat. Add the leeks and saute until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and saute briefly to release its fragrance. Add the turnips, season with salt and pepper, and stir to coat with the butter. Add 3 cups stock and bring to a simmer. Cover and adjust heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until the turnips are almost tender, about 15 minutes.

Stir in the turnip greens, cover and cook until the greens are tender, about 5 minutes.

Puree the soup in batches in a blender. Strain through a sieve, if desired, to remove any threadlike shreds of turnip greens. Return to a clean saucepan and stir in enough additional stock to thin soup to desired consistency. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Reheat soup. Divide among warm bowls. Top each portion with a slice of butter.

Serves 4

PER SERVING: 115 calories, 5 g protein, 12 g carbohydrate, 6 g fat (4 g saturated), 17 mg cholesterol, 69 mg sodium, 3 g fiber.