A Sampling of Root Vegetables

We grew a huge rutabaga in our garden this fall that we harvested just in time for Thanksgiving. I combined it with yucca to make a two colored fry side dish. It was delicious and I baked the fries so it was also healthy and nutritious!

Cut ends off of the rutabaga and scrub it well under running water since its a root vegetable.

Peel the root with a sharp knife, cutting away the outer skin all the way around the vegetable. Be careful to cut away from your body on a cutting board, the skin can be tough to cut.

Cut the root into matchstick sized pieces. Try to make the pieces as uniform as possible so they will cook in the same amount of time.

Boil a pot of salted water.

When the water is simmering, add the matchsticks and let them cook for 3-4 minutes until they are just able to be pierced by a fork.

Drain the fries and shake out the water.

Prepare a dish with olive oil and your choice of seasoning, I used salt and freshly ground pepper. 

Lay out the matchstick sized pieces on a cooking sheet in a single layer and baste the fries with the olive oil mixture.

Bake for 15 minutes. When they are ready they should be easily pierced by a fork but crispy on the surface and a little browned but not black. Be careful not to overcook the fries because they will be dry and chalky.

I prepared fries from the rutabaga (the orange colored ones) and also yucca fries (the white colored ones). Yuca fries are prepared in the same way. Boil them separately though so the flavors don't mix as rutabaga can be a strongly flavored vegetable.

Enjoy! They are best served piping hot!