I Love Rutabaga Homefries, There I Said It

29 Feb 2012
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Rutabaga Homefries with Chilies, Mint & Maple

It's no crime to love rutabagas. So let me freely admit my passion for Rutabaga Homefries with Chilies, Mint & Maple.

Rutabagas are easy to lust after. So don't judge me. I made mine a little sweet mixed with a little heat. I call that the star treatment. I took my flavor cues from Mario Batali on this one. But calling them "homefries" was my idea. I like homefries and all the warm comfortable associations they bring to my favorite (yep very favorite) of all root vegetables.

I chose to cook them homefries style– because it's super easy, besides homefries make me smile. You see, I was making baked chicken. Which is a dish that needs very little embellishment to be perfect. Still I like to serve something with it that's fresh, but familiar. Homefries are certainly familiar at my house, making homefries using rutabaga is just the kind of fresh take on the familiar I strive for.

So I peeled and diced the rutabaga, then sauteed the cubes with salt and a little maple syrup, cooking them until the flesh was tender and translucent, and the edges golden. Cooked this way rutabaga is as sweet and rich as butternut squash. But somehow a bit piquant as well. I upped that hint of heat with a hefty helping of red pepper flakes.

There was only one flaw in my plan. I couldn't stop eating these rutabaga homefries straight from the pan. It started innocently enough. You know, "taste for seasoning". We've all done it, take a small spoonful and see if it needs anything. Only this time a spoonful led to scoopful, before I knew it I was standing at the stove bent over the pan– shoveling these homefries into my mouth. I might have eaten the whole pan full too. Fortunately the timer went off on the roast chicken. Three electronic chimes that brought me back to reality just in time. Five more minutes and this side dish would have become the whole meal. GREG

Rutabaga Homefries with Chilies, Mint & Maple serves 8 CLICK here for a printable recipe

  • 1/4 c olive oil
  • 3 lb rutabaga, peeled & cut into 3/4-inch dice
  • 4 clv garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1 t crushed red pepper flakes
  • 3 T red wine vinegar
  • 3 T maple syrup
  • 1 pn kosher salt, to taste
  • 3 T fresh mint, chooped

Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan set over medium heat, until very hot and nearly smoking. Add the rutabaga dice, and cook stirring often, until golden brown on all sides, about 10 minutes.

Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, vinegar and maple syrup. Bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally until the liquid is reduced to a syrup, about 1 minute. Season with salt. Remove from heat, toss with mint and serve.

Adapted from Mario Batali

Greg Henry writes the food blog Sippity Sup- Serious Fun Food, and contributes the Friday column on entertaining for The Back Burner at Key Ingredient. He’s active in the food blogging community, and a popular speaker at IFBC, Food Buzz Festival and Camp Blogaway. He’s led cooking demonstrations in Panama & Costa Rica, and has traveled as far and wide as Norway to promote culinary travel. He’s been featured in Food & Wine Magazine, Los Angeles Times, More Magazine, The Today Show Online and Saveur’s Best of the Web. Greg also co-hosts The Table Set podcast which can be downloaded on iTunes or at Homefries Podcast Network.

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That's it...I really need to

That's it...I really need to try rutabagas.  Leave it to you to make me want to try a vegetable I have long ignored at the market. From the garlic and syrup to the mint, what an awesome combination of flavors, Greg. 

Jean (Lemons and Anchovies) (not verified) | Mar 3rd, 2012 at 10:16 am | Reply

Trickery

I think this is how you could get people who think they don't like rutabagas to love them, just don't tell them until after they eat these "potato home fries"!  Genius on your part, Mr. Sup.

Chris (not verified) | Mar 3rd, 2012 at 9:21 am | Reply

Rutabagas!

Never tasted them, but I've always loved the sound of that word. And I love the sound of your recipe too!

Felicia (not verified) | Mar 2nd, 2012 at 4:54 am | Reply

these look great.  i love all

these look great.  i love all the attention you've given to rutabagas -- they deserve it (especially wtih maple syrup)!

Valentina (not verified) | Mar 1st, 2012 at 9:42 pm | Reply

I LOVE RUTABAGA

What a great idea! i made rutabaga chips a while back, so I know that this is just fabulous!  Now i'm hungry. Thanks Greg!

Brian @ A Thought For Food (not verified) | Mar 1st, 2012 at 2:38 pm | Reply

Rockin'...

...combination of flavors!

LL

Lori Lynn (not verified) | Feb 29th, 2012 at 6:47 pm | Reply

rutabaga remains a mystery to me

But I love the flavor profile and the sweet heat you created here. 

Joan Nova (not verified) | Feb 29th, 2012 at 3:45 pm | Reply

Oohhh.....

I knew you were a pan nibbler, just like me.  Need to find some rutebagas to stump the kids with this one.

Oui, Chef (not verified) | Feb 29th, 2012 at 12:02 pm | Reply

"You know, "taste for

"You know, "taste for seasoning". We've all done it, take a small spoonful and see if it needs anything. Only this time a spoonful led to scoopful before I knew it, I was standing at the stove bent over the pan"

 

Oh Greg - now you know my downfall! LOL

 

Seriously nice looking rutabegas. I have a nice bit of house-dried chilies that would do the trick here as well. I like the heat paired with the maple syrup. This would be a nice dish in a sizzling cast iron pan too!

Jason Sandeman (not verified) | Feb 29th, 2012 at 11:34 am | Reply

ooooh

These looks fantastic. I have never had rutabagas like this before. 

Banana Wonder (not verified) | Feb 29th, 2012 at 11:32 am | Reply

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