need mashed-turnip tips

[patandchickens]

I've never eaten rutabagas aka winter turnips aka swedes before except in small amounts in vegetable soups.

But, my first-grader was for some reason seized by curiousity about them in the store, so we bought one and I made mashed turnip last night.

He did not like it; I was neutral-to-not-real-thrilled about it; but his younger brother, who has become VERY annoyingly picky about veggies and new foods in general, really liked the mashed turnips. Go figure.

So, on DS#2's behalf , I am wondering what I can do to make these things yummier to the rest of us.

All's I did was roughly dice the turnip, boil in water til mashable, mash it up (remained rather dry and fibrous unfortunately), and add a good sized chunk o' butter and some whole milk (guessing maybe 4 Tbsp butter and 1/2 c milk, for one large-grapefruit-sized rutabaga).

Any way to make this better? What's your favorite way of doing it?

Thanks,

Pat

 

[me&thegals]

I'm a bit confused. I know of rutabagas, and I know of turnips. So I'm not sure which one you are talking about.

Turnips: Crisp, white raw or cooked, a bit like radish in taste.
Rutabagas: Firmer, yellow when cooked, their own flavor.

I like shredding both raw in a huge bowl, then adding shredded raw squash, cabbage, radishes, onions, carrots and beets. Stir it all up and dress with your favorite salad dressing.

I take the same mix from above and use it for this: Take tortillas, spread with cream cheese, sprinkle with your favorite herbs (I used basil and oregano), sprinkl about 1/3 cup of the shredded mixture in a line down the middle, sprinkle with a bit of your favorite cheese, then roll up for vegetarian wraps.

I also enjoy root veggies boiled in chicken soup. Rutabagas are great as a ratio of about 1:2 or 3 with potatoes, mashed, salt, pepper and a bit of cream.

I also made a pizza once in which mashed rutabagas/potatoes were the "sauce" on a whole wheat crust, topped with tons of fried onions, garlic and sweet peppers, topped with spicy cooked sausage and kale, then cheese. I liked it. The family wasn't as impressed.

Good luck!

 

[patandchickens]

I dunno, maybe terminology varies regionally?

I am talking about the ugly brownish-taupe colored small-bowling-ball heavily-waxed things they sell in stores this time of year, that cook up with light yellow flesh. I grew up with them being equally rutabagas or winter (storage) turnips. In the UK they are swedes.

As opposed to summer ("real") turnips, which are pretty and white-shading-to-purply-pink and you can't get them this time of year anyhow. Well maybe shipped in from afar, I dunno.

Raw, either of them is too radishy for me. Cutting the mashed turnips with mashed potatoes is a good thought though, I will have to try that tomorrow (there were leftovers).

Thanks!

Pat

 

[FarmGirl]

Pat, you could try throwing in some carrots with the turnips, cook and then mash with a little butter, salt and pepper. The carrots sweeten up the turnips for those that find them a bit too strong.

 

[freemotion]

We use carrots and mix them at least half and half, using more carrots if we are serving this to company. I was asked to bring two large bowls of this to a potluck recently, and many people took a small, small spoonful, tasted it, then went back for larger servings and asked me how I made it.

 

[ORChick]

There are indeed yellow turnips, but it sounds like you might have rutabegas. Doesn't really matter though. Cook them up like you did, and also some potatoes, and mash them together. Then you have the creaminess of the potatoes, plus some of the flavor from the rutabega. This is great for all sorts of veggies, by the way. I like to add celery root to mashed potato, or carrots. Greens (kale, cabbabge) chopped up are good too. Surprisingly (to me) the sauerkraut I tossed into the mash one time was really nice as well.

 

[gettinaclue]

I usually add the same or similiar spices to rutabega that add to mashed cauliflower. Basically a bit of this and that, and a lot of butter.

 

[JRmom]

I always cook turnips in with a pork roast, then mash them with LOTS of pepper. Yum! Now I'm craving turnips...

 

[Neko-chan]

...

 

[Wannabefree]

I'm with you Neko! I eat them plain, boiled. Nobody else in the house likes them but I LOVE them