How do I mash turnips or swedes?

My husband has grown turnips and swedes for years. But whenever I want to make a nice recipe calling for the mashed versions, I can't do it. I cut them really small, but however long I cook them, up to 2 hours! they do get soft (ish), but never soft enough to mash.
The turnips may have been too old, but the swedes I cooked just now - early October - and it's the same thing.
I put them up with cold water (you're supposed to with roots and potatoes, I read), and no salt.
???
Thanks! Annemieke.

 

Agree with all the above and would add that you really need to peel the Swede quite thickly so you get to the orange flesh below the whitish layer if this makes sense. They need peeling quite a bit thicker than say potatoes. I grow Swede, we call it Turnip/neeps in Scotland! and mine this year maybe due to the scorching summer are a bit on the woody side. Certainly they are best eaten when quite small/young. They make a nice alternative to roasted Parsnip and I often cut pieces quite thin and roast them round a chicken or lamb joint.

 

We always use a pressure cooker for veg, does a great job.

 

Having read all this, I think the clue is in the salt. I never put salt in the cooking water for veg - I salt them after draining, only if they taste like they need it. Most of them don't. I do this mainly because I always drink the cooking water. I have to make an exception for the swedes and turnips then. Thanks!

 

Simple chop potato, swede, turnip into 50 pence pieces, put in pan bring to boil and keep boiling for about 35 mins, mash and add black pepper, lovely one of our favs.

 

Sounds good Shiney. I knew most of this, but not the caramelising! By the way I've tried them now cooked with salt and it works a treat - no more trouble getting them soft.

 

Don't forget to mention the salt in the cooking water Zilly - that was my problem in the first place.

 

If you bake them in the oven whole (about 1 1/2 hours) the skins peel off and you're left with lovely juicy flesh. That's what I do with butternut squash. I don't see why it would'nt work for Swedes and turnips.

G.