Mashed Turnips

Recipe No. 651 from the U.S. Army’s WWII cookbook — Vegetables. Quantities are exactly as printed, for 100 servings; a scaled-down 8-serving version is in the notes.

Ingredients

• Turnips, white or rutabagas — 25 pounds
• Salt — as needed
• Water, boiling — as needed
• Milk, evaporated — 1 — 14½-ounce cans
• Water (for milk) — 1 pint (½ No. 56 dipper)
• Butter — 4 ounces (8 mess kit spoons)
• Salt — 2 ounces (4 mess kit spoons)
• Pepper — (½ mess kit spoon)

Directions

Key ingredients

Evaporated Milk

1. Wash turnips or rutabagas; pare and slice.
2. Add boiling salted water to turnips. Heat to boiling point; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, about 40 minutes or until tender. Drain.
3. Mash well.
4. Mix milk and water; heat.
5. Add milk and butter to turnips or rutabagas; beat well. Add salt and pepper.

Notes

SCALED TO 8 SERVINGS (the original is ÷12.5): Turnips, white or rutabagas — 2 lb Salt — to taste Water, boiling — to taste Milk, evaporated — ½ can (14½ oz) Water (for milk) — 2½ tbsp Butter — about 2 tsp Salt — about 1 tsp Pepper — scale to taste ((½ mess kit spoon))

— TM 10-412, Army Recipes (War Department, 15 August 1944), recipe No. 651, Vegetables. Army measures: 1 No. 56 dipper = 1 qt; 1 No. 55 dipper = 1¾ qt; 1 mess kit cup = 1½ pints.