There have been times when people ate beets practically every day.

Not just in this country, but everywhere in Europe.

Those were the days before the introduction of the potato, which only appeared on our menus after the discovery of America.

One of the few remnants from those distant days is the May turnip, a white or purple-white turnip that is currently in season and is called navette in France.

This small, round turnip is particularly popular because of its delicate taste, which lacks the coarseness of other turnips and the sharpness of some roots.

It's also full of carotene, vitamins B and C, folic acid, iron and zinc.

Peter Badenhop

Journalist in the Rhein-Main-Zeitung.

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    The season for the small, white beetroots begins in May and even owes its name to the spring month.

    At the weekly markets, they complement the ever more abundant range of vegetables on offer at this time, mostly they are completely white, sometimes they have the purple color typical of the navettes.

    They are closely related to the beige-colored Teltower turnips, which also come on the markets in spring.

    Packed in a paper bag and freed from the greenery, all these tubers can be kept in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator for ten to 14 days without losing their aroma.

    Fry until light brown

    Brushed or thinly peeled, the raw May turnip is a fine pleasure with a few drops of lemon juice and a pinch of salt and is reminiscent of kohlrabi. It is very easy to make thin, raw beet sticks, slices or quarters into a crunchy salad, alone with a little mayonnaise and chopped parsley or in combination with radishes, spring onions, herbs, rocket and a light vinaigrette. Shortly blanched turnips cut in this way become a little glassy and then resemble firm asparagus. The navette is a good side dish, but it is also often steamed or served as a puree. Some cooks even process their leaves, like spinach.

    For glazed turnips for a roast or a veal chop, take 300 grams of small beets, peel them and boil them with a sprig of thyme and a little salt for about five minutes and then place them in a bowl with ice-cold water so that they stay white and smooth. Drain, salt, pepper and sweat with another sprig of thyme in butter and dust with a little icing sugar. Fry, turning constantly, until they turn light brown, add a glass of water and simmer covered for about ten to 15 minutes. Before serving, season again with salt and pepper and cover with the stock on the plate.

    If you prefer the turnips to creamy vegetables, you can do without the thyme and add around 150 milliliters of cream to the saucepan when you sweat it in butter, let the whole thing simmer over low heat and finally refine it with a few squirts of lemon and chopped dill. For another variant, sauté a shallot in butter, add the peeled turnips, sauté briefly and then deglaze with 250 milliliters of vegetable stock. Let it simmer gently for another ten to 15 minutes, then add salt, stir in a dash of white wine vinegar and chopped parsley to taste.

    The May turnip is very delicate as a pickle, i.e. pickled in vinegar or fermented. Then it is the perfect accompaniment for freshly made beef tartare, steaks and other hearty grilled food. So: peel five medium-sized turnips, cut into sticks, mix with two tablespoons of salt in a bowl and let steep for two hours. Rinse, pat dry and place in a saucepan with sushi vinegar, bring to the boil briefly, place in a sealable container and let steep for two days. The turnips get a sweet, sour and salty aroma and can be kept for around two weeks. Sushi vinegar is rice vinegar seasoned with sugar and salt and can be found in every Asian shop and in many supermarkets. If you want to make it yourself, heat 100 milliliters of rice vinegar and stir in 50 grams of sugar and 15 grams of salt until they have completely dissolved,and then let the mixture cool down.

    Let it steep for 20 minutes

    A side dish that is well prepared for grilling is cucumber navette relish.

    For a large jar you need two cucumbers, two spring onions, six turnips, a bunch of dill, two tablespoons of salt, 250 milliliters of white wine vinegar or white balsamic vinegar, one teaspoon of hot mustard, and some pepper.

    First peel the turnips and blanch them in salted water for about three to five minutes, then quench them in ice water and then cut them into very small cubes.

    Now the cucumbers are peeled and pureed, then the onions and dill are cut into small pieces and chopped and mixed with the salt into the cucumber puree. Let it steep for about 20 minutes and then squeeze out through a cloth or a fine sieve. Finally, mix the cucumber puree with the vinegar, mustard, pepper and the navette cubes and pour into a sterilized glass with a screw cap. Slightly chilled, this relish brings a wonderfully fresh note to every spring and summer table.