Farm Bulletin: Year of the Rutabaga

In this installment of the Farm Bulletin, contributor Anthony Boutard of Ayers Creek Farm shares a recipe for this ubiquitous winter vegetable. Find them both at the twice-a-month Sunday Hillsdale Farmers' Market.

This has been the year of the rutabaga. The white rutabaga is delicious raw as well as cooked. Our friend Katherine Deumling of Cook With What You Have provided us with the following recipe.

Winter Slaw

This “slaw” was a true “cook with what you have” invention the day of class upon discovering that there was no chard or collard greens at the farmers’ market (for the above-mentioned recipes). There were beautiful cabbages, rutabagas and carrots. Quantities are definitely approximations and please feel free to substitute other veggies or omit certain ones. Turnips instead of rutabagas, etc.

For the slaw:
1/2 small to medium green cabbage (red would be fine too)
2 medium carrots
1/2 very large rutabaga or several small ones
2-3 greens onions (scallions), thinly sliced
Handful of cilantro, roughly chopped

For the dressing:
Juice of 1 lime or lemon
1-2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1-2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1–2 tsp. Ground cumin
Pinch of chili flakes
Salt
Pepper
3 Tbsp. olive oil

Thinly slice the cabbage, grate the carrots and rutabaga and put in large salad bowl. Add scallions and cilantro. Mix all dressing ingredients well and pour over vegetables. Mix well. Let rest for 20 minutes to 1 hour to soften the vegetables and let flavors meld. Adjust seasoning.