All Praise the Lowly Rutabaga

Some vegetables never seem to get the respect they deserve, and while childhood enemies such as brussels sprouts and green peas have been re-envisioned by top chefs and creative home cooks alike, the maligned and often overlooked rutabaga continues to suffer semi-obscurity. Well, no longer shall this venerable root veggie be dismissed at Cafe Drake; we've found that even the initially-adverse warm their hearts to rutabagas if prepared correctly, that is to say as a general rule, with plenty of salt and pepper and butter and rich cream. Our mother - always an inspirational cook - prepared them boiled and mashed with cream cheese and plenty of kosher salt for Christmas dinner; we've taken to slicing them paper thin on the mandolin and deep-frying for 30 seconds until crisp and golden brown. Again, salt is essential. These rutabaga chips make a welcome replacement to frites alongside broiled skirt steak, or an elegant plating accessory to salmon or tuna tartare. Below you'll find two more recipes utilizing the sharp, unique charms of the rutabaga, and hope you'll email us any other tasty ideas of your own.

CARROT AND RUTABAGA PUREE

This side dish enhances the low-key sweetness of rutabagas with the inclusion of carrots and brown sugar. A cinch to make, the recipe can be doubled easily, and is uncommonly good with pork chops or duck.

2 rutabagas (2 1/2 lb total), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces / 5 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces / 3 tablespoons unsalted butter / 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar / 1 teaspoon kosher salt

1. Cook rutabagas and carrots in boiling salted water to cover by 1 inch in a large pot until tender, about 30 minutes.
2. Transfer vegetables with a slotted spoon to a blender and purée with butter, brown sugar, and salt until very smooth.
3. If necessary, transfer purée back to pot and reheat. This should be served very warm.

RUTABAGA, TURNIP AND CARROT SOUP

As always measurements are rough estimates, but the amount below will feed six hungry diners as a hearty first course, with at least a bowl left for lunch the following day.

1. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-low heat. Add leek, celery and garlic and sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
2. Add turnips, rutabagas, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes with juices and 2 cans broth. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 45 minutes.
3. Transfer 4 cups soup to processor. Puree until almost smooth. Return puree to pot.
4. Add remaining 2 cans broth; bring to simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and serve.

1 tablespoon olive oil /1 1/2 cups chopped leek (white and pale green parts only) /1/2 cup chopped celery /1 garlic clove, minced /2 cups 1/2-inch pieces peeled turnips /2 cups 1/2-inch pieces peeled rutabagas /2 cups 1/2-inch pieces peeled russet potatoes /2 cups sliced carrots /1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice /4 14 1/2-ounce cans vegetable broth or low-salt chicken broth