Braised Turnips with Chives and Parsley

(recipe from The Vegan Gourmet by Susann Geiskopf-Hadler & Mindy Toomay)

1 lb. turnips
1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
Several grinds black pepper
1/3 cup vegetable stock or dry white wine
3 Tbsp. minced fresh chives
3 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley

Peel the turnips and chop them into roughly 1/2-inch cubes.  Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and add the turnips.  Saute about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until they are browning nicely.  Stir in the salt and pepper, then add the stock and immediately cover the pan tightly.  Reduce heat to medium-low and cook 10 minutes.

Remove the lid and continue to stir and saute until all of the liquid has evaporated and the turnips are tender, about 3-5 minutes.  Stir in the chives and parsley, and transfer to a serving dish.  Serve hot or warm.

Braised Napa Cabbage and Shiitakes

(recipe from Organic Style magazine)

12 small dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked, then halved
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 large clove garlic, peeled and minced
24 leaves napa cabbage, halved length-wise and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 scallions, trimmed, cut into 1-inch-long pieces, then julienned
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
salt and freshly ground pepper

Put shiitakes in a bowl, cover with hot water, and set aside until soft, about 30 minutes.  (Cover bowl to keep water hot.)  Drain; remove and discard stems.

Heat oil in a large pan or a wok over medium heat.  Stir-fry garlic until golden, 3 to 5 minutes.  Add shiitakes, cabbage, scallions, soy sauce, and sesame oil.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and braise until cabbage is tender, about 20 minutes.

(I used fresh shiitakes, just sliced and added, so skipped the first step of the recipe.  I also didn't count out leaves of cabbage, just used one small head.  This is simple, but tasty!  The slow braising creates a slightly soupy dish, which tasted a bit like a bowl of ramen.  I've been cutting out grains, so, alas!, haven't eaten a noodle in a while - I may be exaggerating.  Anyway, a nice variation on cabbage.)