Hi everyone. Looked in the vegetable basket to see what I could use up for dinner this evening to go with Chicken Kievs. Want to use up any leftover before I go market shopping tomorrow for the week. I had two large carrots, 1 swede and four large red potatoes. Great, will have saute potatoes and carrot and swede mash.
Now I don’t know about you but the bane of my life is trying to cut through that damned Swede (or Rutabaga as some know it). I just don’t seem to have the strength in my arms to cut through it. I know that one should never attempt it when it is fresh as it is akin to cutting through concrete, but this little beggar is 5 days old and still so solid it could easily still kill you if I dropped it on your head!!
I even went on YouTube to see if there were any useful tips for making the job easier. One or two on there made my eyebrows raise as they looked rather perilous, such as the one where a chap cut a thick slice off the top, placed it back on, put it in a dish and whacked it into the microwave on full for exactly 15 minutes, then just scooped out the cooked flesh ready for mashing. Not for me! I had visions of a mighty explosion with swede over the ceiling.
I did however, come across a little gem that saves a bit of work when preparing a swede for mashing with the carrots. (video is below). So, after getting HWMO to cut off the one end of the swede and peel it before he went out of the door, it was left to me to try this method out, and it does actually work.
Because I haven’t the strength to cut it right the way through, I liked this method of slicing only three quarters of the way through (see video).
Ridiculous really because coming from good Irish stock, swede and turnip were a staple diet (along with cabbage and potatoes) at almost every meal when I was growing up. Mum must have washed, peeled and sliced a minimum of two swedes every time to feed 9 of us. How on earth did she do it?
Does anyone here on Off have any foolproof tried and tested tips or hints when dealing with these beggars? I much prefer to buy turnips as they are smaller, but I can’t always get them as easily as swedes.
I know just what you mean re trying to cut up a turnip! The number of times I have nearly lost a finger leaning down hard on the knife which is firmly stuck half way into the bloody thing! :shock:
I normally peel it (as in the video but) then use a large knife with a tea towel on top so that my hand doesn’t slip off the end. Pretty much like the rest of the video but in about a quarter of the time.
Think you’ll find most supermarkets have them in the freezer cabinets Tiff.
Also you know sometimes they have diced fresh veg for soup making, well they often have diced fresh swedes in that section too.
Thanks very much for the tips. Unfortunately, nine times out of ten I decide on swede and carrot mash using leftover vegetables 5 or 6 days after purchase. I prefer to use whole veg myself rather than prepackaged.
I’ve tried the mashed carrot and swede from Sainsbury’s, iceland and Tesco, and to be perfectly honest, they were all yuk! so watery and sloppy we both left it. I’ve also tried the cubed carrot and swede from Sainsbury’s, I’m afraid we found the taste was very bland, even though I added the usual little bit of nutmeg and some butter to it, also they didn’t mash very well when cooked.
I guess I will have to continue with HWMO slicing the end off and peeling the swede for me, and dicing it the way the video shows.
Isn’t it ridiculous? who would believe a request for the easiest way to peel and slice a swede! Sigh!
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