Medley Mash

There are root vegetables that not only have I never cooked before, but I’ve also never tasted before. Shocking, I know.

Two examples are rutabagas and turnips. I have never had them or felt the need to have them either. But when I was given a bag of each, well, I wasn’t going to throw them away.

One of the visiting instructors at Les Gourmettes Cooking School had a family emergency and needed to reschedule her classes. It happens, no problem, except that owner, Barbara Fenzl, had already purchased all the groceries. I was the lucky recipient of the produce. I was excited and especially grateful for the watermelon radishes, broccolini and beets because I use those on the Crudités Harmony Boards. I was still grateful but much less excited with the rutabagas, turnips, and parsnips.

As far as root vegetables go, I prefer to stick to potatoes and radishes. I don’t’ like carrots and despise beets. Parsnips are okay, but the rest I happily pass by. So I decided to treat the trio as I do potatoes.  I peeled, chopped, boiled, and mashed them. Then seasoned them up and spooned them in a casserole, baked, and then finished it off with some cheese on top.

I’ve eaten the resulting dish for two nights in a row with sliced tomatoes and basil and you know what? Not bad, not bad at all!

If you don’t own a hand masher, you should get yourself one, while you’re at be sure it is a double-action masher, here’s a Link.

Root Vegetable Medley Mash

• 3 small to medium turnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 small to medium rutabagas, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 3 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1 medium to large onion, peeled and diced
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, divided
• 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

Put chopped root vegetables in a large pot, cover with water, add 1 tablespoon salt and bring to a boil. Reduce it to a simmer and cook until vegetables until tender, until each type of vegetable is easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, about 12 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion until soft and translucent, stir in the garlic, thyme, and nutmeg, and season with salt and pepper and sauté 2 more minutes, then set aside.

Drain and potatoes and then return to the pot, use a masher (double action mashers are the bomb!) and mash.  

Don’t over-mash, you’re not going for a super smooth mixture. You want some texture to remain.

Add the onion mixture, the beaten egg, and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese and mix well.

Grease a casserole dish and spoon the mixture into the dish. Dot with remaining 2 tablespoons butter and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Place in the preheated oven, uncovered, and bake for 40 minutes.

After 40 minutes, remove from oven and sprinkle on the grated cheese, return to oven for 10 minutes, until nice and golden on top.

Serves 6 to 8