Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Gilfeather

Deborah
I am on a first name basis with my vegetables now. Well, perhaps it is a surname. But it is THIS baby's first name, as in Gilfeather Turnip. Actually it is a rutabaga. Why quibble?
 Gilfeather, ready for his close-up.

The turnip/rutabaga in question was bestowed upon me by the besotted. I was told it was THE BEST rutabega, the finest in the land. That is not saying much, I'm just saying.

Turnips, rutabagas, whatever, they are not all that exciting. I knew nothing about the revered Gilfeather so I  humbly accepted the gift and went forth to prepare it for consumption. Mashed, grated, yeah yeah yeah. I'm thinking fried, DEEP fried. Root vegetables taste pretty damned good deep fried and I had a hankering.

I cut Gilfeather fairly thin so he would fry quickly and have a lot of fried surface area. It did indeed fry up quickly. It was golden within 5 minutes and crispy brown within eight.

Ok YUM! It tasted great! A tiny bit sweet, a tiny bit weird, just like most turnips/rutabagas. If you have tried them you know that indescribable earthy tangy flavor. I liked Gilfeather. I can't say I could pick it out in a blind taste test but it was definitely everything a rutabaga should be, and that is not too bad!
I served these with a quick dipping sauce made from mixing sour cream and mango chutney. The creamy curry flavor worked well with the fried rutabaga.

Amanda
I like that this recipe is so simple - and yet there are so many different variations you could use in the way of dipping sauce. Sour cream and mango chutney sounds yummy. I still make the chick pea patties featured in a much earlier blog, and this sauce would be perfect with it!


Deep fried anything and sparkling wine are a match made in heaven. This dish would be just great as an hors d'oeurves at a party, with a glass of bubbly on the side. I just love the idea of this combination. For my annual holiday block party, I am going to be sure to have plenty of Riondo Pink Prosecco on hand, which is always a huge hit. This wonderfully crisp, fruit-forward, delicious sparkler would be my first choice to serve with Deb's rutabagas! It is medium bodied and lively with flavors reminiscent of fresh picked strawberries!

5 comments:

  1. From the "Besotted" one, NOT bespotted!!

    I was raised on "The Rootebaga Stories" but not until "Gil" had I ever partaken of one. Such a fine name - Gilfeather- I would bestow upon a child. But the fineness is not in name only. Indeed the taste you nailed "earthy & tangy".
    Yet, WOW, never would I have thought to make delicate wafers and fry them yet.

    Well it is my great honor to share these with a wider audience. Just please leave some for me.

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  2. Sorry BESOTTED! where is my editor when I need one? Are you telling me that was your FIRST Rutabaga!? and you gave such a persuasive sales pitch. GIL is lucky to have you on the team!

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  3. aw schucks. but you have lifted him to the realm of the sublime!!!

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  4. I discovered rutabagas last year after a NYT article prompted me to roast some. I was hooked after that - I thought there was a sweet licorice taste to it that I never experienced before in a root vegetables. I loved it so much I grew them this year. Mine are called "Joan". Maybe she can get together with Gil.

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  5. This can be called a " veggie blog"..I say this rutabagas , but i never new its name till i read this..thanks a lot!


    Head Chef CV

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