LAFFlines #15: The Art of Rutabaga
A match made in heaven (a.k.a. Blacksburg): LAFF and produce from the farm stand at Glade Road Growing.
Alas, if rutabaga’s only problem is that people eat with their eyes first, it might not be relegated to kid-tickling punchlines, literary crypticity, and the often-ignored back corner of the crisper drawer. But the truth about rutabaga is that it tastes funky.
From my three visits to Disney World, only one food stands out. It was the early 1990s, the summer after fifth grade, at a Scandinavian buffet in EPCOT’s Norway pavilion. We had just ridden Maelstrom, the Viking-themed flume featuring trolls and polar bears. Since then, Maelstrom has been replaced with a Frozen-themed attraction that also features trolls and polar bears. The restaurant that appears to have replaced the Scandinavian buffet does not list rutabaga on the menu. But 35 years ago, in a white dish in EPCOT, were gleaming yellow cubes of pickled rutabaga. At least I think it was pickled. I don’t remember what it tasted like. But I don’t remember seeing a five-foot-tall mouse wearing four-fingered white gloves and black dress shoes either. I assume rutabaga earned its spot on that buffet because it comes from the Swedish word rotabagge: root bag.
Shepherd’s pie topped with mashed potatoes (recipe below).
So, let’s call a root bag a root bag: Shepherd’s pie is better topped with mashed potatoes than with mashed rutabagas. Rutabagas have far more vitamin C than potatoes—and less than half the calories—but their higher water and sugar content throws off the savory creaminess.
The good news is that a shepherd’s pie topped with half mashed potatoes/half rutabagas is delish. And rutabagas mashed with lemon dill hummus are rich and bright if you’re into creative side dishes. According to The New Yorker food critic Helen Rosner, the best thing (and, perhaps only truly wonderful thing) to do with rutabagas is to peel them into noodles. I haven’t tried that yet. But thumbs up to Carl Sandburg’s Wonderland-esque story romp “A Country for Rootabagas.” And to the green dip blended from celery leaves leftover from the shepherd’s pie. And to the gleeful smacks of a short-legged dog chomping on raw rutabaga chunks. Alas, alas, alas thumbs down to John Ashberry’s literarily-lauded sestina “Farm Implements and Rutabagas in a Landscape.” With Popeye, a Sea Hag, Alice the Goon, and a last line you wouldn’t want to read to your mother, Ashberry demonstrates the not-quite-palatable, but alluring, art of funk.
Shepherd’s Pie Recipe:
Heat the oven to 400 Fahrenheit.
Make the mashed topping by boiling either 1.5 pounds small potatoes or 2 pounds peeled/diced rutabaga or 1 pound small potatoes plus .75-1 pound peeled/diced rutabaga until tender. Drain and then mash the potatoes/rutabagas with 4-5 tablespoons plant-based butter and .5 cup of vegetable broth. (If you’re using only potatoes, you can substitute the broth with oat milk.) Add salt and black pepper to taste.
While the potatoes/rutabagas are boiling, saute the following in a large skillet: 6-8 ounces fresh, chopped mushrooms; 4 cups mixed veggies (green beans, peas, carrots, corn—frozen works); 1 medium yellow squash, diced (about 1 cup); and 1.5 cups celery, diced (fresh makes a huge difference). As the veggies soften, stir in 4 tablespoons of tomato paste, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon dried thyme, and 1 tablespoon mild miso paste (or 1 tablespoon soy sauce), and 1 teaspoon vinegar (balsamic or white). Whisk together 1.5 cups vegetable broth and 1 tablespoon flour (whole wheat, white, spelt, or oat flour works) in a liquid measuring cup or small bowl. Pour the broth/flour over the veggies in the skillet; stir well; simmer for 5-8 minutes.
Add 2 cups of LAFF protein crumbles into a 9x13 casserole dish. Pour the sauteed veggies and sauce over the crumbles, then stir thoroughly and use the back of the spoon to level off the top. Spoon dollops of the mashed potatoes/rutabaga on top. Use the back of the spoon or a spatula to smooth off the top. Option: Drag a fork over the top to make a swirly texture.
Bake (uncovered) for 35 minutes. If you serve it immediately, the pie will come out more as a cobbler. If you let the pie sit (or have it as leftovers tomorrow), then you’ll be able to serve tidier slices.
Leftover Bonus:
Use the leftover celery leaves to make dip. It’s delicious on radishes and carrots. Steve surprised me by preferring it over salsa on his red hot tortilla chips.
Shepherd’s pie topped with mashed potatoes and mashed rutabaga.
Shepherd’s pie topped with all rutabaga wasn’t Steve’s favorite. But he ranked the all potato shepherd’s pie up with the creamy butternut macaroni.
Celery Leaf Dip:
Combine 1 head celery leaves, 1 can drained chickpeas, .5 cup nutritional yeast, 5 tablespoons lemon juice, .5 teaspoons each of salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a blender.
Where to Purchase LAFF
Rose would like to have more rutabaga but…F.I.B.E.R. alert!
Roanoke Co+op (Grandin location)
Eats (Blacksburg)
Online store: Delivery is free in the New River Valley.
Email: Email me at hello@laffkitchen.com if you prefer to pay by check or cash, OR if you have any trouble with the online store.
Last Note
Thanks to all who have been purchasing LAFF at Eats! Last week we sold out for the first time. Eats is now restocked.
Wishing you a happy Valentine’s, Gal-entine’s, Pal-entine’s (whatever you celebrate!) week.
Cheers,
Abby