So tonight I had a few options for blog topics...culinary school, as last night we battled puff pastry AGAIN, my avocado pound cake which I made this weekend or a rutabaga hash that I made tonight. And I promise I will go back and cover the other two topics, however tonight I was inspired by the rutabaga. Does anyone have much experience with this vegetable?



Well let me just say it is by far the HARDEST vegetable I have ever encountered. I seriously had the most challenging time getting a knife through it. The only thing I recall being more challenging to cut is maybe the spaghetti squash, but when I made squash I played the role of damsel in distress and had my friends firemen husband "rescue us." Yes, I know that sounds like a kinky role play, but let me assure you it was really not like that at all...we seriously just wanted him to cut the squash in half. Just being honest. My ex-husband is a fireman so my fireman rescue fantasy days are long gone...just being honest here people.

Anyway I digress...back to the rutabaga. Let me just say this rutabaga almost ended up across the room because I was chopping my knife into it so vigorously...I am actually pretty lucky that I walked away from this recipe with all 10 fingers and all 10 toes. I know what you are thinking, and no I do not use my toes to cut rutabagas, but it just sounded funnier so I went with it.


Rutabagas are root vegetables. They are kind of purplish on the outside and a creamy off white color on the inside. They are starchy and similar in texture to a potato, but a hell of a lot harder...do you understand what I am saying here? Rutabagas are hard!! To pick a rutabaga you want them to be small and heavy and you want them moist, not all dried out looking.

One more side note...this recipe calls for jalapeno and anaheim chile peppers, which I just cut and I accidentally just rubbed my nose...and now it is on fire. Good times tonight!!


So this recipe has bacon in it!!! Love it!!

Saute the bacon and remove when crisp.

Cook the rutabaga and onion in the bacon fat. The recipe says to add additional oil to make 3T of fat but I just used the bacon fat. I just decided why dilute a good thing.


Next add the celery, the two peppers that are burning my nose (outside of my nose for clarification, I did not pick my nose), salt and pepper.

Add the bacon and cilantro at the end and Tabasco if you want more spice.

Here is the real recipe if you want to read the Sunset magazine version:


4 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 3/4-in.-wide pieces
Olive oil
1 1/2 pounds rutabagas, ends trimmed, peeled, and cut into 1/2-in. dice
1 medium yellow onion, cut into 1/2-in. dice
2 celery stalks, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 Anaheim chile, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/2-in. dice
1 small jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
3/4 teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Tabasco
Preparation

1. Cook bacon in a 12-in. skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat until crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain.
2. Measure fat in pan and add oil if needed to make 3 tbsp. Sauté rutabagas and onion in fat over medium-high heat until onion starts to soften, 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, cover tightly with lid or foil, and cook, stirring once, until rutabagas are tender when pierced, 7 to 12 minutes.
3. Stir in celery, chiles, salt, and pepper; cook uncovered, stirring frequently, until rutabagas are browned and celery and chiles are fairly tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Fold in cilantro and bacon. At the table, add Tabasco to taste.


This is the perfect recipe for breakfast or brunch or one of those breakfast for dinner meals. I really enjoyed this dish! The rutabaga is a nice spin off on potatoes, the spice of the peppers adds some good flavor and well the bacon just makes me darn happy! Throw in a glass of wine and I am pretty damn near delirious with happiness!! Cheers my friends!