Turnip Puree with Cheese and Pears

Place turnips in a vegetable steamer over boiling water. Cover and steam 15 to 20 minutes or until turnips are tender. Set turnips aside. Place pears in steamer over boiling water. Cover; steam 5 to 10 minutes or until pears are tender. Saute shallots in butter in a small skillet until tender. Transfer shallot mixture to container of an electric blender or food processor. Add half the turnips, half the pears and 2 tb cheese; cover and process until smooth. Transfer mixture to a serving bowl. Repeat procedure with turnips, pears and cheese. Sprinkle turnip mixture with salt, pepper and nutmeg; stir well. Serve hot or chilled. Yield: 6 to 8 servings. From _Academic Apron_ by The Middlesex School/Concord, MA. In _Americas Best Recipes: A 1989 Hometown Collection_. Birmingham, AL: Oxmoor House, Inc., 1989. Pg. 319. ISBN 0-8487-0765-6. Electronic format by Cathy Harned.