Have you heard? (Of course you have.) Frozen water is going to fall on the Northeast and only those with adequate reserves of milk and bread will survive! New York City is on the fringe of the blizzard, so we may see only a few inches. But, rest assured, I am devoting all my free time to hoping for snow measured in feet, and a cozy weekend spent cooking and watching it pile up. Snow, especially lots of it, is magical here in the city. All the noise stops. All the trash and dog shit and chicken bones are covered by a clean white blanket, and the city feels cleansed, even if only for a moment.
If you’re at our latitude (or close), chances are you’re feeling the pinch of the long-past growing season. Seasonal offerings are dwindling rapidly. Even the onions have gone soft. But there, in the farmer’s market bin or produce aisle, are rutabagas. Ever-dependable, still firm, and with a hint of spice, they’ve been waiting for you. Because February is their time to shine.
Roasted, and topped with crunchy panko, gremolata, and lovely pomegranate arils, dowdy old rutabagas become transcendent. This recipe is almost satisfying enough to be a meal in itself, though you may want to add some protein by way of Gruyere, eggs, or nuts. However, whenever you eat it, it’s going to be really, really good.
A note on the recipe: the idea for the panko gremolata is from food52. Their version pairs it with roasted cauliflower which sounds pretty darn good too. Back to the rutabagas–this dish has held up surprisingly well as leftovers. Of course the panko isn’t crisp, but it adds a certain texture and nuttiness even after the fact.
Roasted Rutabagas with Panko Gremolata and Pomegranate
serves six as a side
4 – 5 rutabagas, cored, peeled, and cut into 1/2″ cubes
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup panko
2 tablespoons shallot, minced
zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons parsley
1/2 cup pomegranate arils
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare the rutabagas and spread them out on 1 or 2 rimmed baking sheets (I used one small and one large, and that was perfect). Drizzle the rutabagas with 2 tablespoons olive oil and turn to coat. Sprinkle on 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. Bake for 30 minutes, turning vegetable once at the halfway point.
Towards the end of baking time, in a small skillet, heat the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the panko, and stirring constantly, toast until it’s golden. Add the shallot, lemon zest, and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, and continue to toast the panko until it takes on a deep golden hue.
Spoon onto the roasted rutabaga, sprinkle with pomegranate arils, and serve immediately.
I love simple, roasted vegetables! The addition of the gremolata and pomegranate sounds perfect. Stay warm!
Hi Natasha, Thanks! So glad you like our take on rutababgas–in our kitchen too, simple is always best.
your photos are wonderful!! i’m always looking for ways to jazz up roasted veggies, this looks yum-o.
Why thank you Molly! That means a lot to me. It’s so hard to believe that here in NYC we still have another month or two of roasted vegetables ahead before the growing season starts up again.
I’m a little late to the root vegetable game. I grew up on potatoes, frozen turnips and the occasional sweet potato. I have to say that it’s been a bit of a love fest ever since cooking my own turnips and roasting my own beets. I’m always looking for a new way to use root vegetables (other than roasting, mashing or, in the case of beets, juicing).
also, your photos are stunning!
Hi Kelly, I know what you mean–I was a late bloomer with root vegetables too. I’m not sure what I ate during the pre-root vegetable winters, but now in the cold months I love their simplicity. And, so glad you like the photography. Thank you!
sounds awesome. rutabagas, turnips, roasted roots of all kinds make my day when it’s chilly. i usually go straight up but this recipe is certainly going to make me mix it up a little. my vocabulary too is stoked. ‘arils’ i will try to use that word at least 2 more times today….!
Hi Natalie, Yes! I think we should all try and say “arils” as much as possible. Definitely. (And so glad you like the recipe!)
Your photos are always so appealing! While I love pomegranate juice I confess to just startjng to use the real fruit. I will be trykng tbis for sure!
Hi Jan, Pomegranates are great fresh! I recommend getting the whole fruit since it’s much cheaper than the prepared arils. There are some great how-to videos to show you how to separate them from the pith too.
Hi,
I just made this with rutabagas (swedes). Very good indeed.
But it occurred to me that the photo showed kohlrabis… they are so much lighter in color!
Rutabagas where I live are orange when cooked. In my country the names are also often misunderstood.
Anyway, I’m sure this recipe works with kohlrabis as well!
Fan
Hi Fan, They were definitely rutabagas. Here in the states, they are white on the inside and have a purple, white, and green skin. Here’s an image of them: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Swede_-_rutabaga_-_veggiegroup.jpg. After some research, I see that there does seem to be a lot of color variation with some rutabagas looking quite orange. I have not tried roasting a kohlrabi, but I think you’re right that they’d be similar, with maybe a little less cook time. So glad you liked the recipe! Thank you for the comment.