THOUGHT TO BE A CROSS BETWEEN A CABBAGE AND A
globe turnip, the smooth, heavy, pale yellow rutabaga has been a popular root vegetable in the South since it migrated from Europe with the early settlers in the seventeenth century. Small, relatively tender, and slightly sweet rutabagas can be boiled and mashed or simply cut into strips and blanched for salads, but since the more common large ones tend to be pithy and bitter, most Southern cooks prefer to bake them slowly with sweet potatoes, carrots, Vidalia onions, oranges, and other sweet ingredients in a casserole. Rutabagas are available year round, but winter is the peak season. They can be the dickens to peel, but are well worth the effort.

Makes 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds rutabagas (yellow turnips), peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1 orange, peeled, white pith removed, seeded, and cut up
• 4 tablespoons (1⁄2 stick) butter, softened
• 1⁄2 cup heavy cream
• 1⁄4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 2-quart casserole or baking dish and set it aside.
2. Place the rutabagas in a large pot and add enough water to cover them by 1 inch.
3. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to moderate, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
4. Add the sweet potatoes to the pot, return the heat to moderate, and cook for an additional 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
5. Transfer the cooked rutabagas and sweet potatoes to a food processor.
6. Add the orange pieces, 2 tablespoons of softened butter, heavy cream, grated nutmeg, and salt and pepper to the food processor.
7. Process the mixture until it reaches a coarse purée consistency.
8. Scrape the puréed mixture into the prepared casserole or baking dish.
9. Dot the top of the purée with the remaining softened butter.
10. Bake the casserole in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
11. When ready to serve, briefly run the casserole under the broiler to glaze the top.
12. Serve the dish hot.