Roasted Rutabaga Steaks

About This Rutabaga Recipe

Roasted rutabaga recipes abound but this version with brown sugar and curry spice is simply precious. Hints of sweetness counter the vegetable's natural earthy bitterness and transform it into a spiced nuttiness.

The flavorful 'steaks' into which the rutabaga is cut boast a gorgeous golden color, their flesh is tender while the outside is encrusted in deliciousness - a real joy for the palate.

You can serve the rutabaga as an appetizer, a vegetarian entrée (along with a salad) or as a side to a variety of roasted meats or chicken. We drew inspiration from the fabulous Ottolenghi Flavor book and simplified the recipe after making it several times.

Ingredients You Will Need

• Rutabaga. Also known as swede or Swedish turnip, rutabaga is in season from fall to early spring in the Northern hemisphere. It is an excellent winter root vegetable, very popular in Europe and less so in the US. You will need two or three rutabaga heads for this recipe, depending on how large they are, weight wise about 3.5 lbs. 
• Brown sugar, salt and lime juice. Together they form the balancing act for the marinade in which the rutabaga is coated. 
• Extra virgin olive oil, garlic, curry & onion powder. To form the flavorful backbone of the marinade. 

Step-by-Step Workflow

• Make a marinade. Begin by squeezing the lime juice, then stir the brown sugar and salt in it until dissolved. Add minced garlic, curry and onion powders and the olive oil. Mix, then reserve 2 tablespoons of marinade.
• Prep. Peel the rutabaga using a vegetable peeler or a small sharp knife. Remove the ends and cut each head cross-wise into just over 1 inch thick rounds, or 'steaks'. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, dip each rutabaga 'steak' in marinade and place onto baking sheet. 
• Roast. Place another parchment paper sheet on top of the marinade coated rutabaga pieces (#5) then tightly cover with aluminum foil. Roast for an hour until rutabaga is nice and tender.
• Finish. Remove the foil and top parchment paper sheet, brush rutabaga with a bit of the reserved marinade and place under the broiler just until bubbly (2-3 minutes). Mix the rest of the reserved marinade with half a cup of sour cream and serve as a dip.

TIP: To make rutabagas easier to cut into thick steaks hold the peeled vegetable using a clean kitchen towel to avoid any sliding around. 

Serve Roasted Rutabaga

• Roasted rutabaga steaks are best enjoyed straight out of the oven, while their outsides are still crusty. Consider sprinkling them with red pepper flakes for a touch of heat - the sour cream dip will act as a delicious cooling agent.
• To serve as a shared appetizer or vegetarian entrée plate with a simple salad (above shown with parsley greens, shaved red onion, kalamata olives and feta) and the sour cream dip you prepared.

TIP: To reheat leftover rutabaga steaks use a non-stick pan, over medium heat and a bit of olive oil. Even though this method is not as convenient as microwaving the results are far superior and more appetizing.

Other Rutabaga Recipes

You can prepare rutabaga in a number of other ways:

• mashed rutabaga - for this side dish simply peel and boil like you would potatoes for mashing and be sure to add a lot of butter when you start working with the potato masher
• rutabaga cubes - cut the vegetable into cubes, toss with olive oil and spices, place onto parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake until tender
• rutabaga fries - cut into thin strips, toss in corn starch and fry like you would potato fries; season as soon as you place the low-carb fried rutabaga onto paper towels to drain; garnish with fresh herbs to make the rutabaga taste like it came from fried food heaven

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