Rutabaga

Rutabaga(/ˌruːtəˈbeɪɡə/;North American English) orswede(Englishand someCommonwealth English) is aroot vegetable, a form ofBrassica napus(which also includesrapeseed).  Other names includeSwedish turnip,neep(Scots), andturnip(Scottish,andCanadian English,Irish English,Cornish EnglishandManx English, as well as some dialects ofEnglish in Northern England). However, elsewhere, the nameturnipusually refers to the relatedwhite turnip. The speciesBrassica napusoriginatedas ahybridbetween thecabbage(Brassica oleracea) and theturnip(Brassica rapa).  Rutabaga roots are eaten as human food in various ways, and the leaves can be eaten as aleaf vegetable. The roots and tops are also used forlivestock, fed directly in the winter or foraged in the field during the other seasons. Scotland, Northern and Western England, Wales, the Isle of Man, and Ireland had a tradition of carving the roots intoJack-o'-lanternsatHalloween.
Rutabaga has many national and regional names.Rutabagais the common North American term for the plant. This comes from theSwedishdialectal wordrotabagge,fromrot'root' +bagge'lump, bunch'.In the U.S., the plant is also known asSwedish turniporyellow turnip.
The termswede(from "Swedish turnip") is used in manyCommonwealth Nations, including much of theUnited Kingdom,Australia, andNew Zealand. The nameturnipis also used in parts of Northern and Midland England, theWest Country(particularlyCornwall),Ireland, theIsle of Man, and Canada. InWales, according to region, it is variously known asmeipen,rwden, orerfineninWelsh,and asswedeorturnipin English.
InScotland, it is known asturnip,tumshie(also used as a pejorative term for a foolish or stupid person), orneep(fromOld Englishnæp, Latinnapus).Some areas of south-east Scotland, such as Berwickshire and Roxburghshire, still use the termbaigie, possibly a derivative of the Swedish dialectal wordrotabagge.The termturnipis also used for thewhite turnip(Brassica rapassprapa).
Some will also refer to both swede and (white) turnip as justturnip(this word is also derived fromnæp).In north-east England, turnips and swedes are colloquially calledsnanniessnadgers,snaggers(archaic) ornarkies.Rutabaga is also known asmootin the Isle of Man and theManx languageword for turnip isnapin.
The first known printed reference to the rutabaga comes from the Swiss botanistGaspard Bauhinin 1620, where he notes that it was growing wild in Sweden. It is often considered to have originated inScandinavia,FinlandorRussia.According to theNatural Resources Institute Finland(now Luke), rutabaga orlanttuwas most likely bred on more than one occasion in Northern Europe around the 16th century. Studies by its research institute have shown thatlanttuwas developed independently in Finland and Sweden from turnip and cabbage in connection with seed cultivation.There are contradictory accounts of how rutabaga arrived in England. Some sources say it arrived in England from Germany, while other accounts support Swedish origins. According toJohn Sinclair, the root vegetable arrived in England from Germany around 1750.Rutabaga arrived inScotlandby way of Sweden around 1781.
An article inThe Gardeners' Chroniclesuggests that the rutabaga was introduced more widely to England in 1790. Introduction toNorth Americacame in the early 19th century with reports of rutabaga crops inIllinoisas early as 1817.In 1835, a rutabaga fodder crop was recommended to New York farmers in the Genesee River valley.
Rutabaga was once considered afood of last resortin both Germany and France due to its association with food shortages inWorld War IandWorld War II. Boiled stew with rutabaga and water as the only ingredients (Steckrübeneintopf) was a typical food in Germany during the famines and food shortages of World War I caused by theAllied blockade(theSteckrübenwinterorTurnip Winterof 1916–17) and between 1945 and 1949. As a result, many older Germans had unhappy memories of this food.
Rutabaga has a complextaxonomichistory. The earliest account comes from the Swiss botanistGaspard Bauhin, who wrote about it in his 1620Prodromus.Brassica napobrassicawas first validly published byCarl Linnaeusin his 1753 workSpecies Plantarumas avarietyofB. oleracea:B. oleraceavar.napobrassica.It has since been moved to other taxa as a variety,subspecies, or elevated to species rank. In 1768, a Scottish botanist promoted Linnaeus' variety to species rank asBrassica napobrassicainThe Gardeners Dictionary.
Rutabaga has achromosome numberof 2n= 38. It originated from a cross betweenturnip(Brassica rapa) andBrassica oleracea. The resulting cross doubled its chromosomes, becoming anallopolyploid. This relationship was first published byWoo Jang-choonin 1935 and is known as theTriangle of U.
In the Netherlands, rutabaga is traditionally served boiled and mashed. Adding mashedpotatoes(and, in some recipes, similarly mashed vegetables or fruits) makesstamppot'mash pot', a dish often served alongside smoked sausage. Similar dishes are known in the Southern low countries, down to and including Brussels, asstoemp.
During the difficult days of World War II, rutabaga and rutabaga juice were an important part of the local diet, and were consumed in large quantities.
In Sweden and Norway, rutabaga is cooked withpotatoand sometimescarrot, and mashed withbutterand either stock or, occasionally,milkorcream, to create a puree calledrotmos(Swedish, literally 'root mash') orkålrabistappe(Norwegian).Onionis occasionally added. In Norway,kålrabistappeis an obligatory accompaniment to many festive dishes, includingsmalahove,pinnekjøtt,raspeballand saltedherring. In Sweden,rotmosis often eaten together with cured and boiledham hock, accompanied bymustard. This classic Swedish dish is calledfläsklägg med rotmos.
Finns eat and cook rutabaga in a variety of ways. Rutabaga is the major ingredient in the popular Christmas dishlanttulaatikko(rutabaga casserole), one of the three main casseroles served during Finnish Christmas, alongside the potato and carrot casseroles.
Uncooked and thinlyjuliennedrutabaga is often served as a side dish salad in school and workplace lunches.Raisinsor cannedpineapplein light syrup are often added to the rutabaga salad. Sometimes, thinly sliced rawcarrotsare mixed with rutabaga.
Finns use rutabaga in most dishes that call for a root vegetable. Many Finnish soup bases consist of potatoes, carrots, and rutabagas.
Finnish cuisine also roasts, bakes, boils, and grills rutabagas. Oven-baked root vegetables are another home-cooking classic in Finland: rutabaga, carrots, beetroots, and potatoes are roasted in the oven with salt and oil.Karelian hot pot(karjalanpaisti) is a popular slow-cooking stew with root vegetables and meat cooked for a long time in a Dutch oven.
Finnish supermarkets sell alternativepotato chipsmade from root vegetables, such as rutabagas, beetroots and carrots.
Rutabagas are also an ingredient inlanttukukko(rutabaga-kukko, a traditionalSavonianandKareliandish).
In England, swede is boiled with carrots and mashed or pureed with butter and ground pepper. The flavoured cooking water is often retained for soup or as an addition to gravy. Swede is also a component of the popular condimentBranston Pickle. The swede is also one of the four traditional ingredients of thepastyoriginating inCornwall.
In Scotland, separately boiled and mashed, swede (neeps) and potatoes are served as "neeps andtatties" (tattiesbeing theScotsword for potatoes), in a traditionalBurns supper, together with the main course ofhaggis(the Scottish national dish). Neeps mashed with potatoes are calledclapshot. Roughly equal quantities of neeps and tatties are boiled in salted water and mashed with butter. Seasoning can be augmented with black pepper. Onions are never used. Regionally, neeps are a common ingredient in soups and stews.
Swede is an essential vegetable component of the traditional Welsh lamb broth calledcawl. A mash produced using just potato and swede is known asponsh maipin the North-East of the country,asmwtrinon the Llyn peninsula and asstwnsh rwdenin other parts.
In Australia, swedes are used as a flavour enhancer in casseroles, stews, and soups.
In Canada, they are considered winter vegetables, as, along with similar vegetables, they can be kept in a cold area or cellar for several months. They are primarily used as a side dish. They are also used as filler in foods such asmincemeatandChristmas cake. In Newfoundland, it is served withJiggs dinner.
In New Zealand, they are more commonly available in winter but can be easily purchased for much of the year. It is thought they best grow inSouthland,where the winters are colder. They are usually served mashed with butter but are often added to other dishes likecasserolesor bakes.
In the US, rutabagas are not widely eaten but may be found as part ofstewsorcasseroles, served mashed with carrots, or baked in apasty. They are sometimes included in theNew England boiled dinner.
Rutabaga and other cyanoglucoside-containing foods (includingcassava,maize(corn),bamboo shoots,sweet potatoes, andlima beans) releasecyanide, which is subsequently detoxified intothiocyanate. Thiocyanate inhibitsthyroidiodidetransport and, at high doses, competes with iodide in the organification process within thyroid tissue.Goitresmay develop when there is a dietary imbalance of thiocyanate-containing food in excess of iodine consumption, and these compounds can contribute tohypothyroidism.Yet, there have been no reports of ill effects in humans from the consumption ofglucosinolatesfrom normal amounts ofBrassicavegetables.Glucosinolate content inBrassicavegetables is around one percent of dry matter. These compounds also cause the bitter taste of rutabaga.
As with watercress, mustard greens, turnip, broccoli, and horseradish, human perception of bitterness in rutabaga is governed by ageneaffecting theTAS2Rbitter receptor, which detects the glucosinolates in rutabaga. Sensitive individuals with the genotype PAV/PAV (supertasters) find rutabaga twice as bitter as insensitive subjects (AVI/AVI). The difference for the mixed type (PAV/AVI) is insignificant for rutabaga.As a result, sensitive individuals may find some rutabagas too bitter to eat.
Other chemical compounds that contribute to flavour and odour include glucocheirolin, glucobrassicanapin, glucoberteroin, gluconapoleiferin, and glucoerysolin.Severalphytoalexinsthat aid in defence againstplant pathogenshave also been isolated from the rutabaga, including three novel phytoalexins that were reported in 2004.
Rutabaga contains significant amounts ofvitamin C: 100 g contains 25 mg, 30% of the daily recommended dose.
The roots and tops of "swedes" came into use as a forage crop in the early nineteenth century, used as winter feed forlivestock. They may be fed directly (chopped or from ahopper), or animals may be allowed to forage the plants directly in the field.
People in Northern England, West England, Ireland, and Scotland have long carved turnips and often use them as lanterns to ward off harmful spirits.In the Middle Ages, rowdy bands of children roamed the streets in masks carrying carved turnips known in Scotland as "tumshie heads".In modern times, turnips are often carved to look as sinister and threatening as possible and are put in the window or on the doorstep of a house onHalloweento ward off evil spirits.
Sincepumpkinsbecame readily available in Europe in the 1980s, they have taken over this role to a large extent.In the Isle of Man, turnip lanterns are still carved atHop-tu-Naa(Manx equivalent of Halloween), lit with a candle or electric torch, and carried from house to house by some children, with the accompanying Hop tu Naa song; hoping for money or treats of food.The smell of burning turnip is an evocative part of the event.
A local farmers' market in the town ofIthaca, New York, organizes what it calls theInternational Rutabaga Curling Championshipannually on the last day of the market season.The villages ofAskov, Minnesota, andCumberland, Wisconsin, both hold annual rutabaga festivals in August.