Category: Rutabagas

This root vegetable pot pie is a cook-with-what-you-have twist on a classic dish. It’s savory, delicious comfort food chock full of veggies. Use whatever combination of root vegetables you have on hand or prefer.  Serves 5-6  ... Read more »

Simply, peeled, diced and tossed with ground red pepper, salt and olive oil, rutabagas are delicious. This knobby root vegetable can be a little sulfuric and strong but, cut small and roasted until tender and a bit crisp is a great way to enjoy it. You can substitute or mix in turnips too.... Read more »

Polenta is a wonderful pantry staple and a good foil for anything a little bit saucy. This is a template for most any vegetables and leftover meat. [caption id="attachment_18201" align="aligncenter" width="660"] This assortment was what I had on hand during the first corona virus isolation period but by all means use whatever vegetables you have on hand or particularly like.[/caption]... Read more »

This is a lovely wintry soup with many possible variations. The only thing you must pay attention to is the blending. Ideally you push the vegetables through a strainer, which is pretty quick and easy when they're soft. If you use an immersion blender or other motorized device, blend very quickly and in short bursts. Don't worry about getting it perfectly smooth. Potatoes turn gluey very quickly when processed and gluey soup is sad!  ... Read more »

A box grater (or grating blade on a food processor) can turn any number of vegetables into a form that will cook quickly, brown easily and absorb and/or combine with myriad flavors. It's a good method to have in your cook-with-what-you-have repertoire when you have random bits to use. It's delicious with a piece of good bread and maybe an egg or as a side to most anything. It's delicious the next day so make plenty.   Variations: Use any vegetable you can grate such as turnips, kohlrabi, sweet potatoes, potatoes, summer squash/zucchini, beets, broccoli stems. 1 stalk green garlic or 2-3 cloves garlic, minced Tender greens such as spinach, beet greens or mustard greens, finely chopped are a great addition, add toward end of the cooking time. Herbs like parsley, cilantro, basil or mint, chopped; add toward end of the cooking time. ... Read more »

Italians use this sweet and sour combination for various vegetable dishes, most classically with cipollini onions. The general method works well in this variation as well.... Read more »

This is delicious with most any combination of winter vegetables and roots. Cut the vegetables into fairly small dice but if you don't have the time, bigger chunks will work fine too; they'll just take a bit longer to roast.  ... Read more »

This quick dish is delicious, not just with rutabagas, but a mixture of turnips, kohlrabi, and rutabaga, or any one of these. Top it with cilantro and some yogurt and you have a very satisfying side dish. ... Read more »

Radishes, dark breads, cheese and beer is a classic German (especially Bavarian) snack. This dish puts all these components (minus the beer and plus a few others) together into a salad bowl with a lively dressing.   Mix and match roots based on what you have/like. Thinly sliced celery root would be good here as would daikon or any type of turnip or rutabaga and non-roots like kohlrabi would be good too. ... Read more »

--Technique inspired by Todd Coleman's Potato Gratin via Food52.com   This is endlessly adaptable in that you can use any combination of roots and/or tubers you have or even mix in hearty greens. You can change the herbs or add or substitute spices. By cooking the vegetables in a a bit of cream or milk (or with some broth) before you put them in the oven you also save some time. ... Read more »

This is a simple technique that can be used with most any root vegetable or better yet, combination of roots. You can change the ratio of vegetables to suit your taste or to what you have on hand.  ... Read more »

This is a quick, not terribly authentic red curry but very tasty and suitable to a variety of vegetables--use what you have. You can add chicken or tofu to it for an even heartier dish though it’s wonderfully rich and satisfying without as well.   Depending on what kind of squash you have, you may want to roast it first for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees (if it's an acorn type or another one that is difficult to peel raw) then cut it into bite-sized pieces and peel.    Serves 4, generously... Read more »

As Batali notes, in Friuli, a region of northern Italy the cuisine is flavored with Slavic influences and this dish is made with turnips. Rutabaga make a good substitute. Rutabagas tend to be sweeter, denser, and creamier than turnips but use turnips, Gilfeather turnips or rutabagas or in any combination.   Serves 4... Read more »

  This is a CSA Heavy Hitter, recipe that is delicious with a great variety of vegetables and handy to turn to when you have a random assortment of things that need using up. This is delicious with kohlrabi, celery root, winter squash, potatoes, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, turnips and pretty much any other vegetable that takes well to roasting. The quantity and combination of vegetables is completely up to you and you can easily scale the below recipe up or down. I sometimes like to add chickpeas to the vegetables, adding another dimension and texture. With a simple green salad and maybe a fried egg this is my idea of a perfect meal.... Read more »

This is more template than a recipe and it’s not an authentic latke. Be that as it may it’s a good way to enjoy winter vegetables.   The quantities listed are approximations and can be adjusted based on what you have on hand, your taste, etc. For the below recipe you want about six cups of packed, grated veggie. ... Read more »

  This is endlessly adaptable and fresh and satisfying. It's a very distant cousin to tabbouleh. Don't by shy with the lemon or herbs.   Serves 4-6... Read more »

This is a simple flavorful stew that you can adapt with whatever hearty root vegetables you have. You could add sweet potatoes or carrots. This is a mild chili but you can certainly make it spicier with a spicy chili powder or the addition of fresh chilies. You can also use ground beef instead of the chicken or omit the meat entirely. This recipe makes quite a bit so feel free to halve the recipe or freeze half for future meals.   Serves 6... Read more »

This is a simple, delicate dish. The bit of freshly ground nutmeg adds a wonderful dimension. You can just use rutabagas and of course add other vegetables (potatoes, celery root, etc.) though I particularly like how sweet and light this mash is with just these one or two roots.   Serves 3-4 as a side... Read more »

--adapted from Chef Kathryn Yeomans of the Farmer's Feast   The fresh ginger, added at the end, adds a lovely warm and spice to this pureed soup. I often use Gilfeather Turnips--a cross between a rutabaga and a turnip--as they are particularly sweet and delicious. Serves 6-8... Read more »

Rutabagas, also sometimes referred to as swede or yellow turnip, originated as a cross between a cabbage and a turnip. They are very common in Scandinavia (the Finns eat more than anyone else) and other cooler European countries.   They are a staple in winter CSA shares and the two most common varieties are Purple Top and Gilfeather (pictured at left). The Gilfeather is sometimes referred to as a turnip though it is a rutabaga. It is very mild and sweet. The more common purple topped varieties have a creamy yellow flesh whereas the Gilfeather is white.   Roasting the roots sweetens them but can also intensify the bitterness perceived by some, whereas boiling (and then mashing or adding to soups) dilutes the flavor.  Rutabagas are often combined with other roots--carrots, turnips, potatoes, parsnips, celery root--in gratins, soups or mashes. They add a distinct and pleasant sweetness.   Rutabagas happen to be high in Vitamin C, contain many minerals and are high in fiber and have antioxidant properties.    ... Read more »