Spiced Pickled Rutabaga Food

MIDDLE EASTERN PICKLED TURNIPS

Steps:

• In a medium sized pot, add the water, Kosher salt and bay leaves.
• Heat on medium heat, stirring until salt is completely dissolved, 3-5 minutes.
• Let cool completely then add the vinegar.
• In a large container with a tight fitting lid, add your turnips and beets.
• Add the garlic (this can be a very rough chop, you don't eat the garlic, it is only for seasoning so it doesn't need to look pretty).
• Pour the liquid into the container.
• Let sit for 5 days.
• Before serving, they are best refrigerated.
• The pickles are usually good for about a month (they normally last about a week in our house because I eat them with everything!).

BEEF AND RUTABAGA HAND PIES WITH JALAPENO KETCHUP

Steps:

• For the pastry: Combine the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the cold butter and pulse until the butter is the size of small peas. Whisk the egg yolk, vinegar and 1/2 cup ice water together in a spouted measuring cup. Drizzle over the flour mixture and pulse just until the dough comes together. (If the dough is too crumbly, add a little more water; add more flour if it is too wet.) Dump the dough onto a floured counter and knead a few times to bring it together. Roll into a fat log and wrap in plastic. Chill until firm, about 1 hour.
• For the filling: Combine the beef, carrot, potato, rutabaga, onion, thyme, salt and pepper in a large bowl and mix well.
• To make the pastries, cut the chilled dough crosswise into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece on a floured surface to an approximate 6-by-8-inch oval. Pack a scant cup of the filling in a measuring cup and invert near the bottom of the oval to make a high mound of filling. Beat the remaining egg white in a small bowl with a splash of water. Brush the edges of the pastry with the egg wash. Fold the top of the pastry over the filling and press the dough to make a circular mound of filling in the center. Trim the edges of the dough, if needed, to even them out. Crimp the edges of the pastry and cut two air vents in the top. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Chill 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Brush the chilled pastries with egg wash. Bake the pastries 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue to bake until deep golden and cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes more.
• Serve the pastries with Spicy Ketchup.
• Combine the ketchup, jalapenos, brine and Worcestershire in a small bowl. Chill while the pasties bake.

SPICY PICKLED RUTABAGA RECIPE

Steps:

• Slice off the stem and root ends of the rutabagas, and peel, using a paring knife rather than a vegetable peeler to peel them. The thick, tough skin of the rutabaga may be more than a normal vegetable peeler can handle.
• Cut the peeled rutabagas into approximately 1/2-inch planks, then again into 1/2-inch batons, about the size and length of french fries.
• Make a salt brine by dissolving the salt in 1 quart of water. Add the rutabaga strips to the salt brine, and let them soak for 4 hours or overnight. If necessary, cover with a plate to keep them submerged.
• Drain the rutabagas in a colander. Discard the brine.
• Pack the rutabagas tightly into clean canning jars. (It is not necessary to sterilize the jars for this recipe). Make sure the pieces of rutabaga are short enough to allow for at least 1/2-inch head space between the top of the food and the rim of the jars. You want the vegetables to be really packed in tight so that they won't float up out of the final pickling brine.
• In a saucepan, combine the vinegar, the remaining 1/2 cup of water, and honey. Bring to a boil, and then immediately turn off the heat.
• While the vinegar brine is coming to a boil, toast the cumin and mustard seeds in a dry skillet over low heat for 2 minutes or until fragrant, stirring constantly.
• Stir the toasted cumin and mustard seeds, paprika, coriander, and cayenne into the vinegar brine. Stir in the lemon juice. Pour the brine into the jars. The rutabagas should be completely submerged in the brine, but there still needs to be 1/2 inch of air between the surface of the brine and the rims of the jars.
• Secure canning lids and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Like most pickles, these will be edible immediately, but the flavor will continue to develop and improve with at least a week or two to cure.

CHILI ROASTED RUTABAGA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400. Mix first 7 ingredients in a medium bowl.
• Peel rutabagas and cut them into chunks that are 2 inches long and ½-1 inch wide.
• Toss with the spice mix.
• Transfer to a large baking sheet, spreading pieces out evenly.
• Bake until tender and somewhat browned, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes.

FRUITY RUTABAGA

Steps:

• Cover the rutabaga with water and boil until just tender.
• Drain well, and add all the remaining ingredients to the rutabaga.
• Simmer, stirring frequently, until well amalgamated.

SPICED PICKLED RUTABAGA

Steps:

• Peel rutabagas. Cut into bite sized chunks.
• Combine with the remaining ingredients and ½ cup water in a non reactive saucepan.
• Simmer until barely tender, 3-5 minutes.
• Let cool, then chill overnight. Pickles will keep in refrigerator 2-3 weeks.

SMASHED RUTABAGAS

Steps:

• Heat water in large pot on stove to boiling.
• I use a sharp paring knife to remove wax coated skin from the rutabaga.
• The rutabaga is a very hard vegetable in the raw form, so be careful when cutting it.
• Use a chef's knife to cut a slice off of one side of the rutabaga.
• Place the flat side down on the cutting board and cut off small slices.
• Then chop the slices the other direction forming small cubes.
• Place rutabaga is boiling water and boil until tender. (about 60 minutes).
• Remove from heat.
• When tender, strain water off of rutabaga cubes and place them in a flat bottomed dish. (My Dad puts them back in the pot for this step.).
• Use a mashing tool and mash them to desired consistency.
• Add butter, salt & pepper.
• Mix thoroughly and serve.
• (One can also make ahead and warm it up in the microwave.).
• Enjoy!