Rutabaga...
The ugly duckling of the brassica family or swede, (from Swedish turnip)...
.i had no idea it could be so good. I asked DH to look at what was available at the tiny 'hardware store' for a moose stew i made last week.. We have used three now the size of footballs. In just a couple weeks. He did some comparison shopping, : ). The carrots are from Israel, (expensive), the turnips are from PEI, the potatoes from NovaScotia...a few bags to choose from but the only ones not sprouting. Celery from CA US. Onions not sure. Chickens from Quebec. (no ofal inside and one had no legs, weird. roasted last night). But tiny and delicious....no legs (!?!)
I'm in Newfoundland for those popping in from elsewhere.
Surprised at the rutabaga. Flavor like a cross between a potato and sweet potato. Cooks the same time as my potato variety. First dish was a german style potato salad. Cooked separately thinking they might soften differently. We love them. I bet i've used them a couple times past but in a rich stew i bet the flavor would be hidden in such a rich broth/gravy.
I can't cook without celery, onion, carrot. The base for just about everything. Nice to find another root. Thinking of making rutabaga baked fries.
The potato salad that sparked the interest. A bit of a deconstructed cod cake. Wanted something light for a salad app. Potato and rutabaga salad with cod. Just a light fresh dressing tossed into the potato, cod on top with pistachios.
(prefer toasted pecans, but have to use what i have)
Comments (17)
11 years agoRelated Discussions
Rutabaga questions
Comments (6)Some varieties tend to grow out of the ground more than others. This fall we covered a 50' row of 3 or 4 different varieties with a thin row cover, I think it was 19, and they survived temps down to -8 degrees. We were shocked that just a thin row cover would make that much difference. We had them freeze at above zero temps without the row cover. There was a light layer of snow on top of the row cover at the coldest temps but many nights in single digits without the snow....See MoreRutabagas, leeks, turnips, and collards on the Gulf Coast
Comments (6)A lot depends on your soil. We have a high sand content and it drains really well so there is no danger of rot and fungus attacking the seed. There is a bit of a gamble because if you plant to early the plant will try to bolt. I'd say that late August to mid September should be OK. You just have to look and predict the arrival of Fall. By the time the seedling is growing we should be getting the cooler days and nights. A second alternative is to start them indoors under lights and then transplant them. It is a lot like Spring planting. Sometimes you nail it and some times you have to replant. I know I had to replant my butter beans this year....See MoreSaving rutabagas
Comments (7)Although the book says they're not really good to can, there are those who do can them and like the results, which is why the canned recipe was re-instated. You could do a small test batch and see if if's something you care for. In case you're wondering, canning rutabagas is not a safety issue; it's just that some find the resulting flavor strong or bitter. Others enjoy it - a difference of personal taste. Carol...See MoreSomething yummy to make with a big ol' rutabaga?
Comments (5)I had wondered if I could use them in som tum -- I am crazy about it, especially in summer. Not fattening (I assume) and good for you and delicious. It's a pain to find and shred the green papaya. But I have gotten really lucky: there is an Asian market not far from me that sells bags of already shredded papaya. Now I can keep some in the refrigerator most of the time. Yummmmmm! Last night I peeled and cubed the rutabaga, tossed it with olive oil and kosher salt, and roasted it. Then I added a small splash of cider vinegar and some parsley. It was great. We love root vegetables, so the more ideas people have, the better....See More
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Maybe the sweet potato is not for prime-time, like some of my carrots. : )
Last nights rutabaga/white bean salad, served with moose sausage-n-onions.
So many varieties...i must grow some. http://www.rareseeds.com/store/vegetables/rutabagas/ 
11 years ago
Solsthumper