Scalloped Turnips and Rutabaga, A Seasonal Fearless Friday

Heather says:

Winter will be here for a couple more weeks, it won’t be until April that the fun produce really starts to arrive.  At least there is asparagus and broccoli. So I’ve continued to work with turnips and rutabagas for my Fearless Friday endeavors. This week, I tried out a recipe for scalloped turnips and rutabagas, it’s not the most exciting in the world, it is a great alternative to rice or potatoes.

Have you tried any new recipes or techniques? If so, you’re invited to participate in this week’s Fearless Friday. Either take a moment and tell us your adventure in the comments or if you have your own site you are more than welcome to link to your post. This carnival isn’t about success, it’s about making the attempt. So don’t worry about the outcome, just share the experience.

Scalloped Turnip and Rutabaga Recipe

Scalloped Turnips and Rutabaga Ingredients

• 2 diced peeled turnips 1/2″ to 1″ dice
• 1 diced peeled rutabaga 1/2″ to 1″ dice
• 6 cups water
• 1 TBSP sugar
• 2 TBSPs butter
• 3 TBSPs all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp salt, optional
• 1-1/2 cups milk – variation – substitute up to half the liquid with vegetable or chicken stock
  Omit the salt if using commercial broth or bouillon
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 2oz shredded cheddar cheese or grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Scalloped Turnip and Rutabaga Instructions

Place the diced and peeled turnips and rutabaga in a pot and cover with the water and add the sugar. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 – 15 minutes. Drain the root vegetables and place in a baking dish.

Be aware that the baking time will need to be increased for deep casserole dishes, such as the one shown. Shallow, dishes such as a 9 x 13 will only need the suggested 20 minutes. The deep dish needed an additional 10 – 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350F.

In a heavy pan over medium low heat,  melt the butter and whisk in the flour. Whisk until the flour butter mixture has darkened by a shade or two. We’re making a basic bechamel, slowly add the milk a few ounces at a time. Whisk briskly with each addition.

In the very beginning there will be some ugly moments, your roux will look as though it as turned to dough.

Do not freak out, keep whisking and adding your milk or chicken stock and your sauce will soon become smooth, keep whisking until it resembles frosting. At this point, you can become slightly more generous with each addition of milk until it is all incorporated.

*Note to those just learning to cook* This step feels awkward and difficult at first. I promise it gets easier each time. There’s a slight knack to it and practice is the only way to get there. Just keep whisking. There’s no crying in baseball cooking, unless onions are involved.

Once all the milk or milk and chicken stock has been added, turn the heat up slightly to medium and cook, stirring for 2 – 3 minutes. We are NOT bringing this to a boil. Taste your white sauce, it should have a very mild flavor, if necessary add a little more salt and some fresh ground pepper.

Pour the sauce over your turnips and rutabaga. Top the dish with breadcrumbs and cheese, if desired.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, unless of course you’re using a deep casserole dish, then bake for 35 – 40 minutes. Keep an eye on it near the end, if the cheese is browning too much, consider covering with foil.

Tagged as: Fearless Fridays, Kitchen Bravery, Meatless, Recipe, Seasonal Produce, Side Items, Vegetables, Vegetarian, Winter