Rutabaga

This week’s Vegetable Box Feature: Rutabaga… an under-appreciated vegetable.

Did you know?

• It is a cross between a cabbage and a turnip
• The Swedish-born root is high in iron, which is not typical of most vegetables. They also have around 25% of the recommended daily amount of vitamin C and are a good source of vitamin A.
• The word “rutabaga” comes from the Swedish word rotabagge, meaning “root bag.”
• Known by many other names throughout the world, including yellow turnips or neeps.
• Its unique flavor makes it very useful to boost the taste of a variety of dishes throughout the world, and many cultures have incorporated it into their staple foods or national delicacies.

Fun Fact:

• The International Rutabaga Curling Championship takes place annually on the last day of the market season at the Ithaca, New York Farmers' Market. This event has been held since 1998, with participants using only Rutabagas in their curling competition. The rules prohibit the use of any vegetable other than a Rutabaga, and recommend bringing your own.
• The world’s largest root vegetable is a rutabaga weighing 85.5 pounds, grown by Ian Neale in the United Kingdom, in 2011.

How to Store It:
Rutabagas can be kept for months in cool, slightly humid conditions, and can be stored unwashed in the crisper of the refrigerator for up to two weeks.


How to Use It:
Rutabagas are easier to prepare than many other root vegetables thanks in part to an easy-to-peel skin. Once the skin is removed, Rutabagas can be sliced, diced, or cut into wedges depending on the intended preparation. Often used in place of potatoes in Swedish and northern European dishes, the Rutabaga is boiled and then mashed or pureed, roasted and even eaten raw.

As an alternative to potatoes, cut a Rutabaga so it sits flat on a baking sheet and score the other side, a la “hasselback potatoes,” insert garlic and oil between the slices of root and bake.

Recipes:

Mashed Potato and Rutabaga
Created By: Walt Helmund

This makes a perfect side dish that will wow the crowd at your dinner table.

Ingredients:
1½ lbs Yukon gold potatoes, peeled
1 lb rutabaga, peeled
½ cup non-fat milk
2 TBSP butter
1½ tsp salt
Fresh ground black pepper

Instructions:
1. Cut potatoes into large chunks. Cut rutabaga into chunks half the size of the potatoes.

2. Place potatoes and rutabagas into a large pot and cover with cold water.
3. Bring water to a boil and cook until vegetables are tender, about 10-15 minutes.
4. Drain the vegetables into a strainer.
5. In a glass measuring cup, heat milk and butter in the microwave for about 40 seconds to melt the
        butter and slightly heat the milk.
6. Using a vegetable ricer, push through the vegetables back into the cooking pot. If you don't have a
   ricer, mash the vegetables.
   
   7. Add the milk, butter, salt and pepper.
7. Serve immediately.

Roasted Rosemary Brussels and Rutabaga
Created by: Paleomg

A delicious side dish for your favourite protein.

Ingredients:
2 cups of brussels sprouts, halved
1 cup rutabaga, peeled and diced (I peeled my rutabaga with a carrot peeler)
4 TBSP of olive oil
1 TBSP chopped rosemary (fresh or dried)
salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 405 degrees.

2. Place vegetables in a 9×13 glass baking dish.
3. Pour olive oil over vegetables then toss the vegetables with rosemary, salt and pepper.
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until veggies are tender.
   
   5. Enjoy!

Rutabaga Sweet-Potato Apple Soup
Created by: Chris Walker

This is a lovely root vegetable soup. Both rutabagas and sweet potatoes have a sweet flavour and are yellow to orange in color. The apples bring out the sweetness and add to thicken the soup. The gremolata adds a contrast flavour as do the chives and pomegranate.

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, chopped
2 TBSP oil
1 medium rutabaga (14-16 ounces), peeled and chopped
1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped
2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped
3 cups vegetable bouillon
1 cup non-dairy milk or yogurt
salt and pepper to taste
pinch cinnamon

for the walnut gremolata:
½ cup walnuts
3 TBSP walnut oil (or sesame oil)
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
few chives
garnished with chives, walnuts and pomegranate arils

Instructions:
1. Peel the onion and chop. Peel the rutabaga and chop.

2. Peel the sweet potato and chop.
3. Chop the chives and prepare the pomegranate arils.
4. Heat the oil in a soup pot.
5. Add the onions, rutabaga and sweet potato.
6. Saute the vegetables until the onion become glassy, then add the vegetable bouillon.
7. Core and chop the apples and add to the soup.
8. Bring the soup to a boil, then turn down to medium.
9. While the soup is cooking, make the gremolata.
10. Toast the walnuts in a dry frying pan.
11. Remove the walnuts from the pan once they are toasted, add the walnut oil and garlic to the pan.
12. Remove from the heat as you don’t want the garlic to brown.
13. Chop the walnuts into small pieces then grind with a mortar and pestle.
14. Add the walnuts to the garlic oil.
15. Season with a pinch of salt.
16. Mix to a lightly crumble mixture.
17. When the vegetables of the soup are soft, puree the soup to a creamy mixture.
18. Add the non-dairy creamer or yogurt to then the soup.
19. Season to taste with a pinch of salt and cinnamon.
20. Serve the soup with the walnut gremolata, the chives and some pomegranate arils sprinkled on top