The rutabaga doesn't get much respect these days. It's a shame, Andres Viestad explains, since the rutabaga was one of those hearty tubers that sustained generations of Scandinavians eking out a living in the snow and ice of fjord country. That's why I consider his book,
Kitchen of Light, to be top notch. Weaving unexpected historical and cultural anecdotes through the narrative of a cookbook, believe it or not, is not so common these days. I like Jamie Oliver a lot, but his somewhat narcissistic books could surely lose a few pages plastered with his craggy, smiling mug in favor of a bit more text about the culinary history of his country.
Rosemary Cod with Vanilla-Scented Rutabaga
- 2 1/2 pound cod fillets
- 1/2 vanilla bean
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 lb rutabaga, cut into one inch dice
- 2 small spris rosemary
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- freshly ground pepper and sea salt
Soak the fish fillets in an ice water bath for 15 minutes and pat dry. Preheat over to 400F. Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to a boil and cook for 25-30 minutes or until soft. Drain and then return rutabaga to pan to dry, 1 or 2 minutes only. Put the rutabaga in a food processor or food mill. (I used a potato ricer which worked well) Return mashed rutabaga to the pan. Cut vanilla bean in half lengthwise and use a small sharp knife to scrape out the seeds. Add to the mashed rutabaga. (You can save the vanilla pod and add to a can of sugar to scent it) Stir in the butter and season with salt. Make a small incision in the cod and insert the rosemary sprig. Season with salt and pepper and rub with oil. Place fish in a roasting pan and roast in the oven for 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily. Serve cod fillets with a scoop of mashed rutabaga.
