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1
Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
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2
Trim most of the taproots and green tops from the turnips, but leave a little of both attached.
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3
Scrub the turnips well under cold running water and pat dry.
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4
Rub them with a little butter, wrap them in foil, and put them on a baking sheet.
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5
Place the baking sheet on the upper rack of the oven and bake until the turnips yield slightly when pressed with a finger, about 1 hour.
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6
Meanwhile, stem the greens and cut them into 1-inch-wide strips.
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7
Wash them thoroughly and drain them, leaving some moisture clinging to the leaves.
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8
Put the greens in a large skillet, cover, and cook over medium-high heat until the greens are wilted but still bright green, about 4 minutes.
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9
Turn the greens out onto a platter and spread them out to cool.
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10
Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a small pan over medium heat.
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11
Add the breadcrumbs and lemon zest, and thoroughly mix them with the butter.
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12
Transfer the mixture to a bowl and set aside.
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13
When the turnips are tender, unwrap them and let them stand until cool enough to handle.
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14
Slice off the tops; then, with a melon baller or a small spoon, scoop out the inner flesh, leaving a 1/2-inch-thick shell.
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15
Set aside the inner flesh for another use.
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16
Put the shells on a lightly greased baking sheet and set aside.
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17
Put the onions and the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the skillet used to cook the greens, and place over medium-high heat.
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18
Saute until the onions are softened, about 2 minutes.
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19
Add the greens, a liberal inch of salt, and a few grindings of pepper, and toss well.
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20
Fill the turnips with the greens, sprinkle them with the crumb mixture, and bake until the crumbs are golden and the turnips and greens are heated through, about 20 minutes.
