Good to Eat?

Years  back I read a book on all of the odd things people have eaten throughout history.  My daughter called recently and told me of a friend who had traveled to South Korea and eaten a fried tarantula.  It took her thirty minutes to gather up the courage, but once she did she said it was delicious.  That tops most of the food in the book Good to Eat.

Many people I know look at turnips in the same way they look at a tarantula.  I'm not quite sure why; I remember peeling, salting and snacking on them in front of the TV as a kid.  These days, I prefer Julia Child's navets a la champenoise: perfect for a cold day, savory, filling and delicious.

Peel and slice two pounds of turnips into manageable quarters or eighths.  Parboil for eight minutes.  Saute 4 ounces of bacon in 1 tbl butter until lightly browned.  Add 2/3 cup diced onions, cover and cook slowly for 5 minutes. Blend in 1 tbl flour and cook slowly for 2 minutes. Add one and 1/4 cup stock, (or water with bouillon flavoring) salt, pepper, 1/4 tsp sugar, 1/4 sage and simmer for a minute.  Gently add the turnips, coating with the liquid.  Cover and simmer until tender, around 20-30 minutes.  Add water as necessary.  Serve alongside any roast meat.