"Singing Swede" The Humble Neep, Swede or Turnip Sings for its Supper

Monday 23 March 2015
A short and swede post today (groan!) about the humble neep, swede or turnip. It seems to have different names depending on what part of the country you are in. As a child to me in the north of Scotland it was always a turnip and it was what we used at Halloween to carve lanterns. If you think carving a pumpkin is hard work you should try a turnip. Simplistic carving is the order of the day where neep lanterns are concerned. It takes time and dedication to carve one and the smell of a stubby candle burning the inside of a neep is a childhood memory I would rather forget.



The problem with Neeps is that they are an absolute nightmare to prepare, particularly if you get a large one from a farm shop. Sometimes an axe is the only answer and always best to keep a pack of plasters handy for any near misses. The only tool I've had real success with is the Pampered Chef Crinkle Cutter which works much better than a standard knife. The concept of microwaving a whole neep seems a somewhat strange one. When I posted about it on my Facebook Page the photos were viewed by over 15,000 people and the comments and shares went crazy. Some folk said they've been doing it for years (why didn't they tell me?!) whilst for others it was a revelation. 


SINGING SWEDE
1 whole Neep/Turnip/Swede
1 Microwave

Wash the neep and place it on a plate as it will produce a sticky superglue like residue as it cooks - I learned this the hard way!
Put the whole neep into the microwave - no need to prick or score - and cook it on full power.
Give it 15 minutes, turn it over and cook for a further 15 minutes. 30 minutes in total. 
You may need to adjust the time depending on the power of your microwave and the size of your neep.
Insert a skewer to test if it is soft all the way through. 
Once cooked it slices like a knife through butter and the flesh can be scooped out. Cutting the top off and scooping out the flesh is another option.

Some additional top tips from readers who have left comments...

  • If you wrap them in wet paper towel before microwaving, the wax will get absorbed into the paper towel and then you don't have to worry about the 'super sticky glue type substance'
  • Wrap it in paper towel (couple of layers) to absorb the sticky. Puncture it several times with a long skewer to help with the exploding part.


The singing refers to the sound it apparently makes when cooking. Alas my swede didn't sing, scream or even hiss. Perhaps I should have had ABBA playing in the background to encourage it. Next time. 



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Foodie Quine Lifehack : Microwaving a whole turnip, neep, swede. The Singing Swede. The Screaming Swede.

16 comments

  1. Love the title of this post (ABBA fan here) and really enjoyed reading about the Neep, looks great for soups and stews!

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    1. There must surely be some further mileage in ABBA puns? Gimme, Gimme, Gimme a neep after midnight... Dancing Turnip... Shall I stop?!

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  2. I've seen this going around the frugal groups on Facebook. I love swede but I do admit that I am always afraid I am going to chop my fingers off when trying to cut it! This has got to be the answer.

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    1. This particular one was very frugal as the neep was a "reduced to clear" 10p yellow sticky! Definitely worth giving it a try, if only for your fingers sake.

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  3. Hehe this made me chuckle. Love swede. Thanks for linking up to #tastytuesdays

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    1. Glad I made you chuckle, but trying to hack up a swede is no laughing matter. The humble swede will be laughing on the other side of its face now.

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  4. Love that you have included the microwave as an ingredient! Thanks again for joining in with #FoodieFriday - Much appreciated! x

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    1. Its an absolutely essential ingredient in this recipe!

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  5. Brilliant! I often get Swedes in our veg box and they're always the last thing I use because I put off having to cut them up. Not any more! Fantastic!

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    1. Do give this a try. It's a complete gamechanger when it comes to swede.

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  6. If you wrap them in wet paper towel before microwaving, the wax will get absorbed into the paper towel and then you don't have to worry about the 'super sticky glue type substance'

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    1. Top Tip! Shall definitely try this out next time.

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  7. I would be worried that it would explode in the microwave

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    1. I've never had it happen with baked tatties and can't see why this would be any different.

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  8. Wrap it in paper towel (couple of layers) to absorb the sticky. Puncture it several times with a long skewer to help with the exploding part.

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  9. A really delicious way to cook a turnip .I love it .

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