Ok, ok, this isn't really all that strange or mysterious, but it is a vegetable that I have admittedly never actually purchased before, and never really at least been aware of eating, so here it goes!
Rutabaga
This was another one I got recently, but more during the winter, in my CSA delivery, and I just loved how it looked! The roots on the bottom make it look like an alien! :-)
The rutabaga, or Brassica napobrassica as it is known in the scientific world, is called a "Steckrübe" over here, which hints at a root being stuck into the ground. It is closely related to the turnip, and is even sometimes called a Swedish Turnip, but the ones I get are much bigger (and more monster-like... :)
It's commonly cooked, pureed, and served like mashed potatoes would be, or is used as a base in stews, soups and casseroles, but I've also eaten it raw, peeled and cut into pieces, with a low-fat cream cheese (with horseradish mixed in) for a side for lunch, and prefer it so. They are much more flavorful than I expected!
And they have a bunch of nutrients - the big shocker being a lot of Vitamin C - only 100g (or 3.5oz) has almost 50% of your RDA! Wow, who would have thought?
Plus I learned that Rutabaga has some historical significance here in Germany - it helped keep the Germans from starving during WWI and II - they would make a soup of just cut-up rutabaga and water to sustain themselves during food shortages. This also means that Germans aren't really a huge fan of rutabagas....
But I certainly enjoy them! :)
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| rutabaga |
Rutabaga
This was another one I got recently, but more during the winter, in my CSA delivery, and I just loved how it looked! The roots on the bottom make it look like an alien! :-)
The rutabaga, or Brassica napobrassica as it is known in the scientific world, is called a "Steckrübe" over here, which hints at a root being stuck into the ground. It is closely related to the turnip, and is even sometimes called a Swedish Turnip, but the ones I get are much bigger (and more monster-like... :)
It's commonly cooked, pureed, and served like mashed potatoes would be, or is used as a base in stews, soups and casseroles, but I've also eaten it raw, peeled and cut into pieces, with a low-fat cream cheese (with horseradish mixed in) for a side for lunch, and prefer it so. They are much more flavorful than I expected!
And they have a bunch of nutrients - the big shocker being a lot of Vitamin C - only 100g (or 3.5oz) has almost 50% of your RDA! Wow, who would have thought?
Plus I learned that Rutabaga has some historical significance here in Germany - it helped keep the Germans from starving during WWI and II - they would make a soup of just cut-up rutabaga and water to sustain themselves during food shortages. This also means that Germans aren't really a huge fan of rutabagas....
But I certainly enjoy them! :)
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