Mashed Turnips Recipe – The Scottish Way (Neeps / Swedes) | Scottish Mum (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between a swede and a turnip? ›

Swede is a Swedish turnip, hence the name “swede”. They are bigger, tougher skinned, yellow fleshed and much hardier than a turnip. Turnips are the smaller ones, with smoother skin and white flesh. They are faster growing.

This comes from the Swedish dialectal word rotabagge, from rot 'root' + bagge 'lump, bunch'. In the U.S., the plant is also known as Swedish turnip or yellow turnip. The term swede (from "Swedish turnip") is used in many Commonwealth Nations, including much of the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.

What on earth is that? Well, “neeps” is just the Scots word for swede – that hard winter vegetable that people also use in soups and stews.

Neeps are what Scots, Irish and a lot of Northern English people call turnips - ie the big orange veg. Others call those a swede. The wee white ones - whether you call those a turnip or not - are not part of a 'neeps and tatties' recipe.

In Ireland, the chunky, purple and orange root vegetables are commonly known as turnips, and in Scotland they are neeps.

The swede is similar to a Turnip but sweeter and milder in flavour so favoured by Chefs. Great in a vege soup! The swede is similar to a Turnip but sweeter and milder in flavour so favoured by Chefs.

In cooking, while a swede may retain a slightly bitter taste, turnips are more sweet and nutty. They are also softer, more like a potato - but both are relatively hard to peel and chop.

Both turnips and rutabagas are high in fibre and low in calories. Per cup, turnips have only 36 calories and 2 grams of fibre, while rutabagas have 50 calories and 4 grams of fibre. Both are good sources of calcium, potassium, vitamin B6 and folate and excellent sources of dietary fibre and vitamin C.

The Old English word neep – a name now only seen in Scotland alongside tatties and haggis – goes back to at least the 10th century, but turnip (“turn-neep”) is only about 500 years old. Historically, the word “turnip” didn't only refer to the round purple root, but root vegetables of various shapes, colours and sizes.

Take from this what you will, but 'dreich' has been voted the “most iconic” Scots word several times. In a sentence: “It's awfy dreich oot there the day.” In English: “It's awfully dreary outside today.”

What do Scots call food? ›

'Scran' is Scottish slang for food… so this is one you'll likely hear on your excursions.

gogaidh, a nursery word for an egg, gog, v., to cackle.

In some parts of the United Kingdom (namely, the North of England, North and South Wales, Scotland, and some rural and working class areas of Northern Ireland), people traditionally call their midday meal dinner and their evening meal tea (served around 6 pm), whereas elsewhere people would call the midday meal lunch ...

The results of a new survey released forDiabetes Weekhas found that strawberries are Scotland's favourite fruit with 20 per cent of the public vote. The accolade of favourite vegetable goes to broccoli (18 per cent).

It's also known as yellow turnip, Swedish turnip and Russian turnip and, in America, rutabaga. In Scotland, where it's known as neeps, swede is the traditional accompaniment to haggis on Burns Night.

Swede is actually a cross between a turnip and cabbage. They are known as rutabaga in the United States but are called swede throughout the rest of the world. They are one of the hardiest root vegetables to harvest, they grow seasonally - autumn through to winter.

The English word swede comes from the vegetable's origins in Sweden, around 500 years ago, probably in a field where brassica seed was being grown – swedes are a cross between cabbage and turnip. It has a range of names, including 'Swedish turnip' and 'neep' in Scotland, and is called 'turnip' in parts of England.

While swede can replace turnips in many recipes, the main difference is their cooking time. Swede needs to be cooked much longer.

Rutabagas are also generally much larger than turnips. So for a quick rule of thumb, the brownish-yellowish ones are rutabagas, and the smaller white and purple ones are turnips. In terms of their flavor, rutabagas are slightly sweeter-tasting than turnips whereas turnips have a slightly more radishy flavor.