A turnip grew in the middle of our beetroot; a welcome surprise! As well as using most of the root in  soup and rest grated in a slaw, the tender leaves from the green top provided a wonderful addition to a mixture of sauteed vegetables. 

Turnip greens are getting popular. A few weeks ago, Alys Fowler wrote in The Guardian to extol their virtues. Kimchi is the traditional Korean way of preparing them as well as cabbage but Italians make a delightfully simple dish of turnip tops sauteed with chilli, garlic and lemon. It must be zeitgeist as Ben Tish has a recipe for the very same dish in Saturday’s Guardian (02/11/19)! I am lucky to have an old fashioned greengrocer nearby who has promised to bring me more turnip tops over the next few weeks. Meanwhile I am making this dish using cavallo nero or tenderstem broccoli.

500g turnip tops, checked, trimmed and the larger leaves sliced vertically
Extra virgin oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
1 red chilli, finely chopped
Grated zest and juice of ½ unwaxed lemon

Wash the turnip tops, shake them to take off the excess water. Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a sauté pan and add the garlic and chilli. Cook on a medium heat for a few minutes, stirring carefully, until the garlic is softened and begins to colour. Add the turnip tops and, using a wooden spoon, move them around for about five minutes until they wilt.
Remove from the heat and add the lemon zest and juice before serving.

Blanched almonds, toasted and crushed, could be used in place of the lemon.