Turnips

Species name: Brassica rapa

Turnips are native to West Asia and Europe. The turnip most commonly used is the white-skinned variety. The top of the turnip that is exposed to sunlight can be green, red, or purple tinged. The main edible portion of this cone-shaped vegetable is underground and will remain white skinned. Turnip leaves, however, are also edible; in the United Kingdom they are referred to as turnip tops and are eaten as a side dish. In fact, some turnip varieties are grown only for their tops, such as the Chinese cabbage. The Chinese cabbage and the turnip are both from the Brassicaceae and are also related to the common cabbage. Both the leaves and root of this variety of Brassicaceae possess a pungent flavor, but become milder tasting after cooking.