Pieces of Braised Beef with Slowly Caramelized Onions and Turnip Purée

Braised beef and onions served with a turnip purée certainly isn’t an unusual combination in terms of British tastes. The difference in this dish, however, is that the onions are caramelized. They are halved (skin left on) and cooked, flesh-side down, for 2–2½ hours. This releases all of their natural waters and sugars which, as they cook, begin to caramelize. No extra time is needed for the caramelizing of the onions; they simply cook while the beef simmers.

The turnip purée is coo