They are fantastic in a falafel wrap or with Middle Eastern-themed appetizers (think pita, hummus, roasted veg, etc.) Sadly, they often never make it to their higher-purpose as they are often consumed straight from the jar...these barely made it through a brief photo-shoot.
Adapted from David Leibovitz and The Domestic Man, check out the links for excellent, and more descriptive, recipes.
This is a lightly-fermented pickle, you may not see bubbles or the signs of a traditional fermentation, but the flavour changes slightly over a few days.
1 quart jar or larger
3 cups water
1/4 cup non-iodized kosher salt
1-2 bay leaves, fresh or dry
1/2 cup plain white vinegar
2 lbs fresh turnips (4-6 med), peeled and cut into large, thick matchsticks or slices
1 small beet, cut into matchsticks
2 large garlic cloves, sliced
small handful celery leaves (the small inner leaves from a head of celery work well, or picked from your celery in your garden)
1. Bring 1 cup water to a boil with salt, stirring to dissolve. Remove from heat, add remaining 2 cups water and vinegar. Set aside.
2. Put cut up turnips in a large jar, slide celery leaf and bay leaf down the sides. Place beet on top, pour cooled water and vinegar solution over top of the jar to cover all the veg (if not, prepare another 1/2 recipe of solution). Place a small circle of parchment to fit over the inside of the jar to keep ingredients submerged (usually around 2-3" round). Set aside in cupboard for a few days, tasting a day at a time until desired flavour is reached (slightly tangy). Then place in fridge to enjoy for the next few weeks. Repeat.
