Smashed Rutabaga with Apples & Ham

“Rutabaga is not a sophisticated vegetable; it feels right at home with the country fixings of apples and ham. Pears in place of apples would be delicious, too.”—Adapted from Joshua McFadden’s Six Seasons, page 369

Ingredients

·     Olive oil

·     2 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled

·     2 rutabagas, cut into chunks or wedges

·     2 tart apples, such as Braeburn or Fujis, cut into chunks

·     Salt and freshly ground pepper

·     ½ cup diced cooked ham

·     1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Directions

1.    Put a nice glug of olive oil in. large skillet that has a lid and heat over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook slowly to toast the garlic so it’s very soft, fragrant, and nicely golden brown—but not burnt—about 5 minutes.

2.   Arrange the rutabaga & apples in pan in an even layer—it’s okay if the pan is crowded. Season with ½ tsp salt.

3.   Increase the heat to medium, add about ¼ cup water, and cover right away. Steam the rutabaga and apples until tender, adding more water if the pan gets dry. You want enough water in the pan to steam, but not so much that the ingredients sit in water and get soggy. The whole process should take about 30 minutes.

4.   When the rutabaga is fully tender (the apples should get tender first), transfer them to a bowl, add the ham and vinegar, and season generously with salt and pepper. Smash with a potato masher or wooden spoon; the texture should be quite chunky. Taste and adjust with more salt & pepper, and finish with a nice drizzle of oil.

Recipe adapted for the 2019 Week 20 CSA Newsletter at Gathering Together Farm,

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