Today, I got to experiment with yet another unfamiliar vegetable: the rutabaga. I don't know if that's something most people have had before or not, but it's relatively new to me. It's a rather ugly looking root vegetable, probably more popular in the fall, but I think it's good at any time. I'm sure that there are a million ways to prepare it, but making it just like you'd make mashed potatoes yields particularly delicious results. It has a very unique flavor that's quite hard to describe. I call it spicy, but not in a "hot & spicy" kind of way. It's more of a flavorful warmth than a heat. As the title of this post states, I have come to love mashed rutabaga even more than mashed potatoes, so I think you just need to try it for yourself to see what you think it tastes like decide if you like it.
INGREDIENTS: (makes 4-5 servings)
2 rutabagas
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon dried dill
1 clove garlic, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
1. Wash the rutabagas, chop both ends off, and peel them with a potato peeler. Then cut them unto cubes. This will take a little muscle, and I have to admit that I had my sous-chef help with this part.
2. Place the cubes in a large pot, fill it with cold water, then let it boil uncovered for 40 minutes. The color will get brighter as they cook, and they'll feel tender when you fork them, like cooked potatoes.
3. Drain the water, then decide how you want to mash them. You could use a potato masher to do it by hand, but they're harder to do than potatoes, so I highly recommend throwing them in a food processor with all of the other ingredients and pulsing it until smooth.
When you reach your desired consistency, they're ready to enjoy! Be brave. Try new foods. Because I said so....I mean, because they're yummy.
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