The skin should be smooth, shiny and unwrinkled.

Beware of buying turnips that are very light in weight: they may be hollow. Avoid turnips that appear dry, have rust, or look shrivelled.

Keep in a cool, dark place. Refrigerate for up to 10 days. As they age, turnips dry out and soften.

A must in pot-au-feu, excellent in purées, and with the leek and carrot a staple of French country cooking.

Young and tender spring turnips can be prepared like carrots: à l'anglaise (boiled and served with butter and parsley), with cream or with herbs.

Turnips must first be peeled. They can then be steamed or boiled.

When braised in sugar, maple syrup or honey they are an excellent accompaniment to duck.

Glaze young turnips with sugar.

Begin caramelizing some butter and honey. Deglaze with two tablespoons of water. Add turnips sliced 3 mm thick and cook, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with roast duck.

Stuffed
Blanch a turnip for 10 minutes and stuff it with a mixture of potato and turnip pulp, mushroom duxelles or homestyle stuffing.

Mousse
Purée cooked turnip. Mix in some egg whites and a little potato flour. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into a mould and cook in a bain-marie.

• Ireland - Turnip purée. Boil ½ turnip, 6 potatoes and a small cabbage. Drain. Purée with milk, butter, salt and pepper.
• Japan - marinated in sugar and rice vinegar and served as a condiment.
• Piedmont - stuffed with risotto and gratinéed with Parmesan.
• France - stuffed with sausage meat with thyme and rosemary and cooked in cider.
• Germany - grated and cooked like sauerkraut with juniper berries. Served with sausages.