Root Veg Comfort Food, Harvest Casserole

[stultiloquentia]

The second is brilliant; a few years ago it was unanimously voted onto the Thanksgiving must-haves list at my house. The first is simply easy comfort food.

Root Veg Comfort Food
2 lb root vegetables, such as carrots, celery root (celeriac), parsnips, white turnips, or rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (5 C)
1 lb all-purpose potatoes (3 medium), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 1/2 t salt
3 T butter or margarine, cut into pieces
1/4 t ground black pepper
pinch ground nutmeg

1. In 4-quart saucepan, combine root vegetables, potatoes, enough water to cover, and 2 t salt; heat to boiling over high heat. Boil until vegetables are tender, about 15 min. Drain.

2. Return vegetables to saucepan. Add butter, remaining 1/2 t salt, pepper, and nutmeg; mash until smooth and well blended. Makes 8 accompaniment servings.

Harvest Casserole
5 T butter or margarine
1 jumbo onion (1 lb) cut into 1/4 inch-thick slices
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 medium rutabaga (1 lb), peeled, cut into quarters, and sliced
6 carrots (1 lb), peeled and sliced
5 small parsnips (1 lb), peeled and sliced
3 T all-purpose flour
2 1/2 C milk, warmed
1 1/2 t salt
1/4 t coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 t ground nutmeg
1/4 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese (worth a splurge for the good stuff)
chopped fresh parsley (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375F. In skillet, melt 3 T butter over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is golden brown and tender, about 15 min.

2. In shallow 2 1/2-quart casserole, combine rutabaga, carrots, parsnips, and onion mixture and toss until combined. Cover and bake until vegetables are tender, about 45 min.

3. Meanwhile, prepare sauce: In heavy 2-quart saucepan, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter over low heat. Add flour and cook, stirring, 1 min. Gradually whisk in warm milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon, until mixture has thickened and boils. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, 5 min. Stir in salt, pepper, and nutmeg; remove from heat.

4. Add sauce to vegetables and toss to coat; sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, until sauce is bubbling and top is golden, about 15 minutes longer. To serve, sprinkle with parsley, if you like. Makes 8 accompaniment servings.

Comments

[wenchpixie]

mmmh, *copies into recipe file*. I love this kind of food, it's so cosy (although I had to google to find out what on earth a rutabaga is :) - I'd call it a Turnip (I'm Scottish), but anyone English or Antipodean reading this would call it a swede (as we're difficult and reverse the names...)).

for the casserole, I'm thinking a pound of "normal" onions would work okay? Do jumbo onions have a particular sweet/mild/whatever flavour?

[stultiloquentia]

I actually grew up calling them turnips. My mom never cooked white turnips, so there was never any need to distinguish between white and yellow.

Jumbo onions are especially mild and sweet, but the tennis ball-sized kind work fine. :)

[wenchpixie]

Awesome, thank you. I think I know what I'll be making this weekend :)