Yesterday, Adrian and I were at the first farmer’s market of the season in Central Square, Cambridge, which is conveniently located less than a block from our house.  Since we used to live in California, where farmer’s markets are year-round, we never realized how much we would miss such easy access to fresh, local produce.  Now that we are once again limited by the seasons, by our calendar, this is when summer officially begins – it is practically a holiday!  We were there with two reusable bags and cash, and we were ready to take home a bounty of vegetables.  When we arrived, we tried to stay optimistic, despite the small number of tables and the overwhelming presence of plants for your garden rather than your refrigerator.  Looking around, there were lots of greens, as one might expect, but we had apparently missed the mark on asparagus and green garlic.  We had to face it – early season farmer’s markets in New England have a relatively limited selection.  We reminded ourselves to be grateful for whatever we could find.

After picking up some fresh local eggs and ground pork, Adrian and I passed by a table that had some delicious looking fresh spinach (stay tuned for that post), and two bunches of beautiful turnips, which we purchased.  When we took this small bounty home, I was trying to figure how I would incorporate the turnips into the dinner I was planning when it occurred to me…dessert!  I decided to build on the turnips’ natural sweet flavor to create a simple dessert that was relatively guilt free.  The result was delicious. I started roasting the turnips in the oven before I began dinner, and then put the custards in the oven before we ate.  By the time we had cleaned up after dinner, dessert was ready.  Adrian and I, who are not typically huge dessert eaters, ate every bite!  I would compare it to a lighter, less sweet version of a pumpkin pie, or perhaps a more earthy creme brulee, and with just a sprinkle of cinnamon and chopped pecans, it was a delightful weeknight dessert!

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of turnips (about 1 lb. or 1 1/2 cups) cut into a 1-2 inch dice
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• Cinnamon, mint, and crushed pecans for garnish

To make the custard:

Toss the turnip pieces with the olive oil and salt and roast at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes, or until they are soft and slightly golden.  Put the roasted turnip pieces in the food processor to cool for about ten minutes.  Add the milk to the turnips and puree until smooth.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, and vanilla with a whisk.  Add a pinch of salt.  Stir in the turnip puree.

The consistency will be quite thin at this point.

Pour the custard mixture into two small ramekins.  Place the ramekins in a roasting pan, and create a water bath by filling the roasting pan with about two inches of water.  Place the custards in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for about an hour.  The custard should become a light golden brown and the custard should be set enough to hold its place in the ramekin when tilted.

Remove the ramekins from the water bath and let cool for about ten or fifteen minutes, or until the ramikens are just cool enough to handle.  Garnish with cinnamon and pecans, ice cream, or fresh whipped cream, depending on your preference, and serve.  The above recipe makes two servings, but can easily be doubled for additional guests.

I imagine that this recipe could be easily adapted to include any squash or root vegetable that is naturally sweet, such as pumpkin or sweet potato.  I would also guess that a savory version of this dish with thyme and goat cheese rather than vanilla and sugar would make an excellent side dish.  Give it a try and let me know how it works out!

Here are some more root vegetable dessert ideas:

• Maple Roasted Butternut Squash from Dinner and Dessert
• Butternut Squash Custard from Dessert by Candy