Thanksgiving Veg Parade--Go On, Revel in Rutabaga

I haven't yet heard Susan Stamberg's mother-in-law's bizarre recipe for cranberry sauce this season---it involves horseradish--but the recipe returns each year like the ghost of Christmas past. OK, Thanksgiving.  But this morning Yahoo was featuring Martha Stewart doing assorted veggies on video, including rutabaga, aka swedes. ( Relax--they're just yellow turnips.) And Brussels sprouts. The latter veggies are, despite my affection for Belgium, very low on my list. My sister-in-law did manage to roast some once, quite nicely, but I still felt as if I were eating wooly underwear. What can I say?

But getting back to Martha--was this a ye olde video of Martha? Pre the slammer? Idon't know, but thought she looked oddly turned out and somewhat plastic. She made a good point , though---many people flinch at the sight of an unfamiliar veg such as the rutabaga. And Thanksgiving, with its requisite legions of side dishes, is a good time to take the plunge--I was at the checkout a few days ago and the man behind me asked me about the parsnips I was buying. He said" Oh, I thought they looked  vaguely familiar. I think I ate them once."

But how many times have you eaten green beans, sir? ! Come on, live a little!

BTW Martha boiled up and then mashed her giant rutabaga, adding whole milk and buttermilk to the mash, along with a tad of grated nutmeg and a splash of balsamic vinegar. ( She also tossed the B. sprouts with b. vinegar, to no avail, I am certain.)

( Rutabaga pic from www.waynescomputerworld.com)

Comments

[KathyF]

When I used to visit the in-laws in Podunk, USA, I'd bring my own root vegetables.

[donoel]

Holly Root Vegetable Batman!! To get to see both rutabaga and parsnip in the same article together is amazing. Both certainly have the ability to stand alone, but to blend their very distinct characters with the lesser above the ground vegetables is always a hit on my table. After the above mentioned boiling and mashing, I add the cream and a bit of butter and brown sugar (just a soft touch of sugar) and pipe said mash into a hollowed out par blanched small zucchini. Sprinkle just a few grains of good Romano cheese and bake until hot and just a bit of browning of the cheese and watch out.

[foodie]

My Lord, Donoel, sounds tasty--but how do you hollow that little sucker out, without losing your mind, that is? A skinny spud peeler? Pls advise.

[donoel]

Slice lengthwise in half and scoop out the seeds until you have pulp only. You shouldn't peel the little guys. Parboil and fill, bake and enjoy. Sorry I wasn't more specific.