rutabaga

Root-A-Toot-Toot-A-Baga: Rutabaga Puree

12 Jan 2012
rutabaga

Rutabagas are delicious. Especially this Rutabaga Purée with Brown Butter & Mascarpone. Let's just get that out of the way right now. Because no matter what I say about rutabagas from here on out, they're delicious. I love (and respect) them.

But you have to admit, rutabagas have a funny sounding, cartoonish name. The kind of name Elmer Fudd, Foghorn Leghorn or some other rascally Loony Tunes character might root-a-toot-toot about. So, you see, it's easy to make fun of them. Besides, rutabagas are silly looking too. Really silly looking. I'm sorry but it's true.

Let me tell you a funny story. I was in the market recently, checking out with just a few items. I hadn't bothered to get a basket and was sorta balancing a few awkward items in my hands. Oh, and I had a great big rutabaga tucked under my arm too. When it came time to pay, the cashier pointed under my arm and asked, “What’s that?” 

“A football”, I said. Well she laughed so hard she almost cried. At first I thought to myself, rather smugishly. "Gosh I'm funny". Then I realized it wasn't me that was so funny, she wasn't laughing at me. It was the rutabaga that had tickled her funny bone so completely.

Take a look, it's true– rutabagas are big ole monstrosities. The dirigibles of the veg world. The sheer audacity of their size, only adds to their irony. Because rutabagas aren't just delicious and hilarious. Nope. Rutabagas are really, really cheap. Meaning not only do they get laughed at, these root-vegetable monsters are often relegated to filler, whose only purpose is to bulk up a casserole, or stretch out some watery soup. But I bet if you'd just stop laughing long enough to taste a rutabaga you'd root-a-toot-toot too! GREG

 

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Rutabaga Purée with Brown Butter & Mascarpone

Rutabaga Purée with Brown Butter & Mascarpone
By jgreghenry Published January 12, 2012
Prep time: 30
Yield:1 (Servings)

Ingredients:

  • 4 T unsalted butter
  • 1 large shallot, peeled & coarsely chopped
  • 1 large rutabaga (about 2 pounds), peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 1 t coarse salt, pluse more to taste
  • 1 c chicken stock
  • 1 T fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish
  • 1 pn freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
  • 4 T mascarpone cheese

Directions

Heat a large, heavy bottomed sauté pan over medium heat. Add the butter. As it begins to melt, start swirling the pan frequently and watching the butter carefully. You will notice the butter will get foamy, and then the milk solids will begin to brown. Once that starts, remove skillet from heat. Smell the butter; it should have a nutty aroma, and be caramel in color.

Add the shallots and rutabaga. Return the pan to medium heat and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Season with salt. Add stock and thyme leaves. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer until tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

Purée vegetable mixture with mascarpone in a food processor until smooth. Season with pepper. Reheat if necessary. Garnish with more thyme leaves.

Source: inspired by Martha Stewart Living

Visit Norway- Lingering Over A Late Lunch at Gamlastovo Farm & a Plum Porridge Recipe

17 Jul 2011
Sippity Sup at Gamlastovo Farm, Norway

To understand Norway, you need to spend some time outside Oslo. The Norwegians are people who enjoy the outdoors. Outdoor recreation and sports are popular. Skiing, fishing, hiking... But an outdoor life also includes work. Rural life is still a vital part of Norwegian culture. Many people make at least part of their living working on the family farm. From dairy to meat to produce.

That's because even today there is a very strong farm culture which defines what is traditionally Norwegian. The harsh climate helped shape this tradition. Long dark winters made travel and commerce more difficult than in more temperate zones. Families and communities developed to be quite self-sufficient. That is a core element of what it means to be Norwegian, from this outsider's perspective.

Being an "outsider", naturally I wanted to get outside of Oslo and see some of the countryside that helps shape the Norwegian farm culture. I am glad I did too. The countryside of Norway is breathtaking. Mountains, lakes, rivers, and fjords. Each one grand in scale. Each one touched by God, I believe that.

We stopped in one such place. It's called Gamlastovo Farm. It's a working farm, sure. But it also has a 250 year old restored farmhouse that serves as a small restaurant, bringing food in the traditional Norwegian style. Simple, rugged and perfectly practical.

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Meat & Potatoes: Neeps and Tattie-Cakes with Braised Short Ribs

17 Feb 2010
ingredients for wine braised short ribs

Neeps and Tatties. That did not come out of my brain. But I have had them on my brain ever since I first read about them over at The Daily Spud. It seems Neeps and Tatties are a traditional Scotish favorite, though my version is hardly traditional.

I am sure you can guess that the Tatties are taters. Actualy potaters. But Neeps may be new to you. If so I hope the name makes you smile as much as it does me. Especially when said in conjunction with Tatties! Neeps and Tatties. I dare not say where my mind goes when I hear that phrase.

But where my mind should be going is to the Scotish turnip, or what we would call a rutabaga. Because that's what a Neep is. A super huge rutabaga. I used regular old American-sized rutabagas so keep that in mind when reading the recipe. It's a long recipe too so I want to get a move on here. But I do need to say this is another entry in  my week of Meat and Potatoes, or rather my week of Meat and Tatties (with Neeps).

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Zinfandel Braised Short Ribs with Neeps and Tattie-Cakes

Zinfandel Braised Short Ribs with Neeps and Tattie-Cakes
By jgreghenry Published February 11, 2010
Prep time: 180
Yield:1 ()

Ingredients:

  • 4 lb individually cut short ribs, about 4-inches long each
  • 0 kosher salt
  • 2 T extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 sli bacon, roughly chopped
  • 1 leek, white and light greenparts washed and roughly chopped
  • 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
  • 2 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
  • 1 (750ml) bottle zinfandel wine
  • 2 c chicken stock
  • 3 clv garlic, left whole and unpeeled
  • 1 T whole black peppercorns
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 sprigs thyme
  • 1 T honey
  • 1 T tomato paste
  • 0 salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 medium rutabagas, about 1/2 lb total
  • 0 salt and white pepper to taste
  • 1 large egg
  • 0 vegetable oil
  • 2 large yukon gold potatoes, about 3/4 lb total

Directions

Make the Short Ribs: Bring the ribs to room temperature and generously sprinkle them with salt. Then preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy bottomed cast iron Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Brown the ribs on all sides about 12 minutes total. Remove to a plate and set aside. Add the chopped bacon to the pot and cook until the fat has rendered about 5 minutes. Add the leeks, onion, carrots, celery and garlic stirring frequently until they are lightly colored. Turn the heat to medium-low and add half of the wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. Return the ribs to the pot and add the rest of the wine and the chicken stock, peppercorns, bay leaf, and thyme sprigs. As the liquid slowly comes to a boil skim of any scum that rises to the surface. Once it boils Cover the pot and cook in the oven about 3 hours. The meat should be fork tender and falling off the bone. At this point remove the pot from the oven and let it come to room temperature. Refrigerate the pot over night. The nest day remove the pot from the refrigerator and peel off all the fat that has jelled on the surface. reheat the pot to just warm and carefully remove the meat and bones, taking care to keep the meat intact. Place the meat on a cutting board and gently lift it off the bones and remove any sinews or fat. Keeping the shape of the meat intact. Place the meat in a baking dish and set aside. Strain the remaining liquid from the pot into a smaller saucepan, pressing down on the solids to get all the liquid. Add the honey and tomato paste and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and reduce until a thickened smooth consistency is achieved. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. Prepare the Neeps and Tattie-Cakes: Using a box grater, or the equivilent sized grating disc on a food processor, grate the potatoes and the rutabagas. Combine them both in a large bowl. Season with salt and a pinch of white pepper. Toss to combine. Add flour and stir the mixture together well to distribute the flour evenly. Add egg continuing to stir and mix. In a large saute pan set over medium heat, heat about 1/4" deep of vegetable oil. While the oil heats form the potato mixture into 3-inch rounds that are about 1/2-inch thick. Using a spatula so that the cakes do not fall apart carefully add them to the hot oil. Fry until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Remove to a paper-towel lined plate and season with more salt. To Serve: Preheat the oven to 325 degress F. Pour the reserved sauce over the rib meat and place the ribs in their baking dish into the oven, uncovered to bake about 20 minutes, or until heated through. Check often and baste several times during the cooking. This would be the time to start the neep and tattie-cakes frying as described above. Place a warm cake onto an individual low sided serving bowl. Remove the meat from the oven and top each one with 1 or 2 rib sections. Spoon alittle of the sauce into the bowl and garnish as you like. Serve warm.

Notes:

serves 4