Rutabagas!

[stormymater]

Worth - you are the only other person I have heard of who cracked & ate prune kernels! They are wonderful - slightly sweet, slightly almondy! Yum - can't really even find prunes with pits anymore for some reason.

[John3]

Bumping this up to ask can you eat the greens of the Rutabagas? ok found out you can.

and a quote
"Keep rutabagas away from apples and bananas, both of which emit ethylene gas, which can give the rutabagas a bitter flavor."
and
"The tuber is a good source of vitamin C"

[b54red]

Rutabagas are terrific in the south and very sweet. The key is to plant them in the fall and pick them during the early spring when the roots get large; but I start picking the greens in late fall. I prefer the greens off of rutabagas to any other green. Don't let the large leaves fool you, they cook down to very tender and sweet greens. Just chop them up a little and drop into a pot with some water, bacon drippings and salt and cook til tender. I always plant a lot and thin them several times for the greens and leave a couple of dozen to make roots. The greens and roots can be cooked together for a real taste treat. Just don't use the really old leaves with brown dead spots or edges on them. Oh yeah, for you real rutabaga novices, make sure you peel the root and cut it up before cooking.

Originally Posted by tjg911

they keep very well, all winter and are good mixed with potatoes and mashed.

now for the surprise, i never thought anyone would grow rutabagas in the south. rutabagas are a northern crop, so i always thought. they get sweeter after frosts, i let mine sit until mid november to get several hard freezes. so since you don't (do you?) get frosts and freezes in the south are your rutabagas sweet?

tom

[mensplace]

We have even been eating the greens of radishes lately. So, in the words of Zimmern, "If it looks good....EAT IT!" except for the rhubarb leaves.., but then those would parallel my other life lessons in totally other areas and endeavors...just because it looks good, doesn't mean it's good for you. That one took me about 50 years to sink in!

[recruiterg]

Worth, there is a show on PBS called New Scandinavian Cooking. They often discuss rutabagas. Apparently, they are very popular in Scandinavia. If you need some inspiration in the form of recipes, go here:

http://www.newscancook.com/

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by recruiterg

Worth, there is a show on PBS called New Scandinavian Cooking. They often discuss rutabagas. Apparently, they are very popular in Scandinavia. If you need some inspiration in the form of recipes, go here:

http://www.newscancook.com/

Thanks, I don't have time now to look at it but I soon will.

Worth

[BlackestKrim]

Originally Posted by Dukerdawg

Don't mean to hijack the thread, but I have never had rutabaga, turnips or 'okra'!I got free pack of okra seed from the KY gal who GaryV recommended and don't know a thing about it. Anyone grow okra? Worth(no pun intended) it?

Duane

Okra is delicious. It's great in succotash, shrimp gumbo, Indian curry, pickled, or just sliced up, dipped in egg + cornmeal, and fried.

Okra is the only thing that grows and flourishes during the heat of the summer where I am. Well, Okra and peppers.

Make sure to pick the pods when they are small and tender (2-3" for most varieties.) Otherwise they get too tough to make good eating. Some varieties (like red velvet) stay soft and tender when the pods are long, and can be harvested at 4+ inches.

Okra get real tall. They are good for shading other plants from the afternoon heat.

I like rutabaga in my fall garden. I don't care for the greens tho- I prefer beet greens and collards.