Rutabegas? Rutabega!
Found a small cookbook on sale at W-S for six bucks, Canal House Cooking Vol 2.
What find! Great little book with very basic recipes with a few key ingredients. All of it seems to be recipes your very talented grandma would have made. One I might try later is a pear sorbet.
Last night, we made mashed Rutabegas with scallions. Yum! So simple but very good alternative to smashed potatoes.
We got these ginormous rutabegas at the store b/c SO was craving them. I have never eaten them before, always passed them by. No more. I did have fun being a smallish person trying to crack open these huge things though. 
I decided ultimately to crack them against the cement floor in my mud room. 
Anyway, the recipe:
Mashed Rutabegas with loads of Scallions
-Stew pot full of skinned and chunked up rutabegas (2 -3)
-One or two potatoes (sometimes rutes are too watery on their own) We got a bunch of the small red ones.
-Salted water to cover. I had some fatback from cooking blacked peas and threw a couple strips in the pot.
- 1 C finely chopped scallions
- 4 Tsp butter
Cook the rutabegas until they are soft, about one hour. Drain the water and discard. Return the rutabegas and potatoes to the pot. Mash and stir in the butter and scallions. If it needs more liquid, add in cream or broth. S & P to taste and serve warm. Serves 4-6.
This is a very rich side dish. I couldn't help thinking as I was watching Downton Abbey and eating my rutes that this is a dish that might have been served at that time. 
= new reply since forum marked as read
I'd have loved to watch you trying to get into that thing!
The recipe sounds yummy! I don't think I've ever seen rutabagas in my local market here. Going today to look for spice teas, may check and see if they actually have some.
If you try the pear sorbet I'd love to hear about it. I make a lot of fruit sorbets, never tried pear.
