Season's Eatings: The Rutabaga

It’s hard to take the poor rutabaga seriously. Just saying the vaguely absurd name aloud is enough to rouse a smile, which may be one reason why Carl Sandburg chose the vegetable for his 1922 collection of humorous Midwestern fairy tales, Rootabaga Stories. Set in the Rootabaga Country (whose biggest town is the Village of Liver-and-Onions), Sandburg’s comic tales are homey and down-to-earth, much like the rutabaga itself.  

That comical American name derives from the Swedish term rota bagge, meaning “red bags,” a reference to the vegetable’s wine color and bulbous shape. Of course, in much of the English-speaking world, the rutabaga is known by an entirely different name. Although rutabagas probably originated in central Europe, they were indeed heavily cultivated in Sweden by the middle of the seventeenth century, giving rise to their common British name: the Swedish turnip, or, simply, Swede. 

A cross between a turnip and a wild cabbage, the rutabaga bears a resemblance to the more familiar turnip, although its flesh is more yellow, less watery, and somewhat sweeter. Grown primarily in northern latitudes, the rutabaga can be found in late fall farmers’ markets or in supermarkets year round. Rutabagas intended for long-term winter storage are often treated with a layer of preservative wax. 

Although rutabagas are woefully under-appreciated in the United States (and in some other countries, such as France, where they have come to symbolize wartime culinary deprivation), they have played notable roles in some ethnic cuisines. Rutabaga is a key ingredient in the Cornish pasty, the hand-held meat-and-vegetable pie that was the original brown-bag lunch for countless miners and farmers in Cornwall, and, later, in the copper mines of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The Scottish word for rutabaga is the “neep,” and “neeps and tatties” (mashed rutabaga and potatoes) is the time-honored accompaniment for haggis. 

Indeed, a version of this traditional Scottish side dish is an excellent first foray into rutabaga preparation. Thoroughly cook rutabaga by boiling and/or roasting until quite soft. Then mash with a fork or potato masher (for a chunkier texture) or puree. Prepare your favorite mashed potato recipe as usual, blending in the pureed rutabaga at the end, along with additional cream as needed. The resulting mixture’s golden color and sweet flavor add new depth and interest to a customary side dish.  

Rutabagas are also an excellent addition to a simple medley of roasted root vegetables. Because of their firm flesh, they require a long cooking time, so cube and parboil them for several minutes before mixing with other roughly chopped vegetables—onions, potatoes, parsnips, carrots, and sweet potatoes, for example—tossing with olive oil and salt, and roasting at 400° until tender. The resulting mixture is a perfect accompaniment to pork or lamb chops. 

Rutabagas may have a lowly origin, but their long shelf life, good value, natural sweetness, and rich color have brought them back to the attention of home cooks and chefs alike. In fact, the “golden turnips” you may have seen on high-end restaurants’ winter menus lately just might be rutabagas incognito. Funny though the name might be, the rutabaga can be a serious asset in the seasonal cook’s winter pantry. 

Selection:           Choose rutabagas that are firm and heavy for their size. Steer clear of those that are cracked or blemished. If the skin has been coated with wax, check for—and avoid—those with signs of mold. 

Storage:            Rutabagas can be stored in the refrigerator crisper drawer for several weeks.   

Preparation:      Peel thickly, using a paring knife. Chop or dice according to the recipe you’re using. Rutabagas can be substituted for turnips and/or potatoes in many recipes (see below); just be sure to allow for the longer cooking time required for rutabagas. Rutabagas can be baked, boiled, steamed, braised, or sautéed. They also make easy additions to Indian vegetable curries and other slow-cooking stews. 

Recipe: Rutabaga Fries 

Serves 4-6  

2 pounds rutabagas
vegetable or olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
½ t. rosemary 

Peel the rutabagas and cut them into long French fry shapes. Place them in a bowl with enough ice water to cover and allow them to soak for 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towels. Toss the rutabaga pieces with enough oil to coat lightly and a few pinches of salt. Spread pieces in a single layer on a sheet pan and bake in a 400° oven, turning occasionally, until the fries are golden brown and tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Sprinkle the fries with rosemary, additional salt if desired, and pepper to taste. 

Norah Piehl, Food Correspondent:Norah’s column, “Season’s Eatings,” published twice monthly to Gather Essentials: Food, considers  the importance of eating seasonally and locally. The number of farmers’ markets in the United States has increased by more than 100 percent in just the last decade, making fresh, locally-grown produce more accessible and affordable than ever before. “Season’s Eatings” helps the growing number of farmers’ market shoppers make good choices at the market, highlighting in-season produce that might be unfamiliar to readers and offering information on its history, taste, selection, and use, often including a recipe or two. Norah’s column will also profile local growers and markets, discuss other items (from cheese to chutney) that might be found at your local market, and generally offer resources for those who wish to continue exploring their local and regional agricultural offerings.

Norah is a professional writer, editor, and book reviewer whose articles and reviews have appeared in Pregnancy magazine, Brain, Child, Skirt!, Literary Mama, Publishers Weekly, The Horn Book Guide, and BookPage. Her personal essays have been included in two anthologies and on American Public Media’s Weekend America. In her spare time, Norah enjoys knitting (and blogging about knitting) and playing handbells with Boston’s Back Bay Ringers.

You can find all of Norah’s columns at http://www.gather.com/seasons eatings.

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