The elusive rutabaga

A Thanksgiving and Christmas must have side dish in our family is mashed rutabagas. Those round, waxy globes sold next to the turnips in the produce section. Hard as Hell to peel and cube, the effort is well worth it as a tart side to the sweet cranberries. Short on time today we hit two Jewels for last minute shopping. Much to our dismay we were told Jewel no longer stocks them. I called my brother in law and reported the news but alas he had scored 2 at another store. I wonder if this root veggie is going out of fashion? Does anyone cook it anymore?

Hi- There were plenty of rutabagas at the farmer's market in Evanston last Saturday, and I saw them I think maybe at Heinen's on Sunday. The ones you get at the farmer's market are not waxed, and so they are a little easier to peel.

Are you kidding. Being from the UP, we always have mashed Rudy's on Thanksgiving. We always put them in pasties. I always use them in various soups and stews. Great when roasting a chicken. or pot roast, just position them underneath and let the oven do its thing. They are always in stock at most places here.

Since it is Thanksgiving, I will give you a good tip. I had know about "Bubble and Squek" for some time. A few year ago, I did the Thanksgiving version that next day. Take the leftover mashed spuds, mashed Rudy's, sweet potato mashed, chopped up turkey, leftover dressing (this is the binding agent), and anything else leftover that you want to add, mix well and patty into 1 lb patties. Put butter/olive oil mix in fry pan and slowly brown both sides. Put on plate and cover with warm gravy. You will be an instant hero.

My son, his girlfriend, and I just peeled, cut up, and popped into a huge pot of water about 6 lbs.-plus of Henry's Farm rutabagas. They are small and unwaxed, as noted above, unlike the waxed behemoths at the grocery store. Fresh Farms Niles always has rutabagas.

Elfin wrote:A Thanksgiving and Christmas must have side dish in our family is mashed rutabagas. Those round, waxy globes sold next to the turnips in the produce section. Hard as Hell to peel and cube, the effort is well worth it as a tart side to the sweet cranberries. Short on time today we hit two Jewels for last minute shopping. Much to our dismay we were told Jewel no longer stocks them. I called my brother in law and reported the news but alas he had scored 2 at another store. I wonder if this root veggie is going out of fashion? Does anyone cook it anymore?

Bashed neeps rule ("bashed neeps" is Scottish for mashed rutabagas) -- it just isn't Thanksgiving without them. My grandmother always brought them. Imagine my delight when I grew up and learned one didn't have to wait until Thanksgiving.

Glad to know there are others who know the joys of this delightful vegetables. I've seen them at places out my way (Harvest Fresh, Garden Fresh), so they are available.

They are generally available at the Marketplace on Oakton, too. (Then again, what isn't?)


Marketplace on Oakton
4817 Oakton St
Skokie, IL
847.677.9330

When I am pressed for time, I cook potatoes and rutabagas and mash them together. When I have more time, I have casserole recipes that I like, such as a scalloped rutabaga and apple casserole.

I usually find rutabagas at Caputo's, Strack and Van Til, or Ultra Foods. Sometimes Harvestime has them also.

Hi,

I have one planned for tomorrow: mashed with fried shallots on it per EvA's recipe.

I have also sliced it up for a crudite platter. Unexpected and well received by many, though you do have to explain what it is.

Regards,

I picked one up last Tuesday at Woodman's, had to again tell the checker was it was!
Only thing I don't like is that it is wax coated.-Dick

budrichard wrote:I picked one up last Tuesday at Woodman's, had to again tell the checker was it was!
Only thing I don't like is that it is wax coated.-Dick

LOL! I have had to explain what it is to other curious shoppers and how to cook it. i am so glad you all love them too.

Ha ha, I also had to explain to the teen-aged cashier at Caputo's what it was and how to cook it.

Hi- I was in the Jewel store on Chicago Avenue in Evanston today, and I did not see any rutabaga there. I almost wished that I would have bought a few from Henry last Saturday. Rutabagas are supposed to be popular with Scandinavians, but my mother was born in Sweden, and we never had rutabaga for the holidays when my grandmother cooked. I am not surprised that many cashiers do not know what rutabaga is

Cynthia, you call rudys "neeps"?? Me sainted granmom, Helen Kathleen O'Brien, called *turnips* "neeps." What gives??

Perplexed,

Geo

We always have rutabaga on Thanksgiving. I found them at Treasure Island. Since we hosted this year, I didn't do anything but mash them with butter. So good!

I once told my mom to buy me some turnips for soup and she brought back a rutabaga. When I suggested that there was a difference, she got very upset with me and said I was too picky.

Hi- For those people that are still looking for rutabaga, Henry is going to be at the Evanston indoor farmer's market this Saturday 12/13, but he is doing preorder only. His sister is also going to be there, but you do not have to preorder from her. She is going to sell goats milk soap, arnica juice, and some herb teas. Henry has lots of produce to choose from, including rutabaga, turnips, potatoes, beets, leeks, winter squash, parsnips, garlic and a few other things. Like I said all of Henry's veggies are preorder only, and he is selling most of the stuff in 4 and 10 pound bags. I would include a link, but I can't find anything about it on his website, and the last time I tried to provide a link to the email he sent me, I soon realized that people were able to access all my emails, which obviously I do not want. If anybody received the email from Henry and is able to paste it here, I would appreciate it. The orders have to be in to Henry by noon this Thursday.

The documentary on Henry's farm, is also going forward. They are still looking for additional funding. Hope this helps, Nancy

Geo wrote:Cynthia, you call rudys "neeps"?? Me sainted granmom, Helen Kathleen O'Brien, called *turnips* "neeps." What gives??

Perplexed,

Geo

The rutabaga is often called a Swedish turnip or yellow turnip. and it is in fact a cross between a turnip and another cabbage species. So they're in the turnip family -- and so the word for turnip got applied. In Scotland, however, there are a lot of rutabagas, so "neeps" in the Highlands will pretty much always mean rutabagas -- especially if being served with haggis. "Tatties and neeps," the common sides for haggis, will always be potatoes and rutabagas (or swedes, as the Brits call them).

I think you'd find that even in Ireland, a lot of turnips are rutabagas. They used them not only for food, but also for jack-o-lanterns.

Tnx Cynthia for the info.

Me sainted granmom was an Ontarian Irish person, so "neeps" might very well have mostly referred to turnips. She called rudys "Swedes" and somewhat sniffed at them. A combo of mashed neeps and tatties was always a treat at her place!

Geo

Hi,

On Scandinavian Cooking on CreateTV, they made a risotto with cubed rutabaga and barley. I tried to find the recipe without success. I came late, so I don't know if the rutabaga was partially cooked before cooking with the barley.

It was served with lamb shanks cooked with black currant syrup.

Regards,

They're great raw too. My father used them as crudités and I juice them (w/other ingrds) nearly everyday.

On Scandinavian Cooking on CreateTV, they made a risotto with cubed rutabaga and barley. I tried to find the recipe without success.

Here's the barley & rutabaga risotto recipe. I just searched "rutabaga" on the "New Scandinavian Cooking" web page, and a dozen recipes including rutabaga popped up.

SDP,

Thanks! My mistake, I was looking via the create.tv website.

Rutabaga is definitely a well regarded and frequently served vegetable on that show.

Regards,