Small history

Other names: Swede, Swedish turnip

 General Information

Description
The rutabaga is grown for the bulbous part of its stalk which grows underground.

Once known as "chou de Siam" (Siamese cabbage) in French, the rutabaga grows in cold wet countries. It is a cross between the turnip and kale which originated in Sweden, hence its name.

Nutritional values per 100 g
Calories: 36; Fat: 0.2 g; Water: 87%; Carbohydrates: 8 g; Protein: 1.2 g; Sugars: 7%. Rich in vitamin A and minerals.

Buying swedes
The swede should be nicely shaped, purple at the top, with a narrow smooth crown, a well-defined central taproot and a minimum of secondary roots. It should be unblemished and undamaged.

Beware of buying swedes that are very light in weight: they may be hollow. Choose young vegetables. Larger ones can be tough and fibrous and have a stronger taste.

Storage
Keep in a cool, dark place. Refrigerate for up to 10 days. As they age, swedes dry out and soften.

Cooking tips
Scrape and peel swedes. Cut in long slices or in quarters and boil in lightly salted water until tender. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid to use in puréeing them, or as the base for a sauce.

Even though often confused with the turnip, the swede requires almost twice as long a cooking time.

Remove the core if it is brownish (caused by a lack of boron in the soil.) If its flavour is too strong, first blanch for 10 minutes. Drain and continue cooking in fresh water.

Suggestions
Begin caramelizing some butter and honey. Deglaze with two tablespoons of water. Add swedes sliced 3 mm thick and cook, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with roast duck.

Stuffed - Blanch a swede for 10 minutes and stuff it with a mixture of potato and turnip pulp, mushroom duxelles or homestyle stuffing.

Swedes will enliven stews that are a bit bland.

As "French fries": their high sugar content will caramelize in hot oil.

Soup - cook swede in chicken stock with a few potatoes. Purée in a blender.

Add cream and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Worldwide Gourmet
Finland - purée swedes with cream, bread crumbs, molasses, beaten egg, cinnamon, nutmeg and some of their cooking liquid. Pour into a baking dish. Cover with bread crumbs and dot with butter. Place in the oven.

Norway - Purée equal parts of swede and potato with salt, pepper, milk, some cooking liquid and a big pinch of sugar. Serve drizzled with melted butter.

Sweden - Peel and dice the swedes. Cook with a very small amount of water, honey, salt and pepper.