By Andre and Tiffany are getting married. The wedding is set for August — summer wedding, outdoor ceremony, at a venue near the river that Andre chose because the river is where his great-grandfather James Williams worked and where his grandmother Dorothy Henderson took him to see the docks and where the Henderson story has been flowing since before any of us were born. The river is the through-line. The river is the connection. The river doesn't change. Only the people on its banks do.
Denise is in full wedding mode. The folders are out. Robert has preemptively surrendered all wall space for wedding planning materials. Monique is handling flowers. Tiffany's family is handling the venue. And the food — the food is mine.
The menu, decided after a negotiation between Tiffany's preferences and my capabilities and the understanding that when Dorothy Henderson cooks for a wedding, Dorothy Henderson cooks what Dorothy Henderson cooks: shrimp and grits (the Henderson foundation), pot roast (Tiffany's grandmother's tradition, honoring the woman whose recipe I learned for the engagement dinner), collard greens, cornbread, mac and cheese, and for dessert: peach cobbler (mine) and carrot cake (Tiffany's request, which I have now made four times and which I grudgingly admit is a perfectly acceptable cake). The menu is a marriage itself — two families, two traditions, two grandmothers' recipes, one table.
I am seventy-two years old and I will cook for this wedding on two knees (one titanium, one original) and two hands (both original, both shaky, both knowing exactly how much butter goes in the grits). I will cook for this wedding because Andre is my grandson, and the food at a grandson's wedding is the grandmother's prayer, and the prayer is the food, and the food is the love, and the love goes in the pot and comes out on the plate and feeds the future.
Made a test batch of pot roast tonight. For Tiffany's grandmother. For my grandmother. For every grandmother who ever stood at a stove and cooked a meal that would outlive her. The pot roast was perfect. The meeting in the pot continues.
Now go on and feed somebody.
The pot roast was the centerpiece of the test batch — Tiffany’s grandmother’s tradition, and I take that seriously — but no roast sits alone on a table I’m responsible for. These roasted turnips came out of the same oven that night, simple and unassuming, the kind of side dish that never announces itself but disappears first. My grandmother made turnips. I suspect Tiffany’s grandmother did too. Some recipes don’t need explaining — they just need to be on the table.
Roasted Turnips
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes | Total Time: 45 minutes | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 2 lbs turnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Heat your oven to 425°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup.
- Prep the turnips. Peel the turnips and cut them into roughly 1-inch cubes. Try to keep the pieces uniform so they roast evenly — uneven cuts mean some pieces burn while others stay raw.
- Season. In a large bowl, toss the turnip cubes with olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper until every piece is well coated.
- Spread and roast. Arrange the turnips in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, making sure pieces are not crowded. Scatter the thyme leaves over the top and dot with the small pieces of butter. Roast for 30–35 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until the turnips are golden brown on the edges and tender through the center when pierced with a fork.
- Taste and finish. Remove from the oven and taste for salt. Adjust seasoning as needed. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve hot alongside pot roast or any braised main.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 110 | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Carbs: 10g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 210mg