Rutabagas, Turnips, and Jicama!

Gang: For the past  week I been experimenting in the kitchen with rutabagas, turnips, and jicama. I've been looking for a "home fry" alternative. I'll share my findings with you all.. Jicama: It's considered a vegetable, but it tasted like an apple to me! I enjoyed it in its raw form. It also very fibrous and watery/juicy. Texture is similar to a water chestnut. I can't see how someone can eat this in a hot dish form.. I tried deep frying it.. It browns, but it still maintains its crunchiness and sweetness... I think shoestringing it may give a better "home fry" taste. I think I am going to try a desert with this veg.. it seems promising. Turnips: I tried to fix these 2 ways.. First baking them with a coat of Parmesean & Feta Cheese, French Fried Onions, Nutmeg, Salt, Pepper, Onion Power & Flakes and some splenda. I got this recipe from a website, but I added the French Fried Onions and because it can work well when coating for a crispy taste. Second deep frying them plain. They were pretty good with ketchup. My only complaint.. some were bitter! The splenda and nutmeg do help a little here.  If you brown them too much, they'll get soggy, so the key is cutting them to the right thickness and frying them until golden.  Nonetheless they are good either way with ketchup, and some soggy ones are nice too. Rutabagas: Also known as a turnip, but they are yellow. This is my first time tasting this veg. I haven't had any bitter ones like the tunips. They all tasted like a sweet turnip. They have a strong turnip taste. but with ketchup it's good. I do prefer these over the turnips.. I fixed them both ways, and both ways are nice. Conclusions: A combination of each will make a nice "home fry" dish if you are having a burger/sandwich. They also cook fast.. Baking 20 mins.. Frying 7-10 min. They each offer something different.  I've been killing them with tomato sandwhiches! Question.. has anyone had sweet potato fries? Never tried these, how are they? Next veg experiment:  baby/bok choy and celeriac. -Bud

Hey, Bud! You should get a job on the Food Channel!  Are you a professional cook or somethin'? Anyway.....I LOVE sweet potato fries!  Believe it or not, we dip them in ketchup (like for french fries).  It's very yummy and so much better for you than potatoes.  Now for the frying part.....not too healthy. Try 'em, you'll like 'em! Bren

I just made sweet potato fries for the first time a few weeks ago.  They wasn't as crunchy on the outside as I wanted them.  Plus they were a little mushy on the inside, so tell me your secret once you figure them out! :) 

As for bok choy...mmmm.  I was married to an asian for 15 years so this was a staple in our house quite often.  I now love it not only in my stir fries and soups, but also in my salads.

Let me know how your fries go! 

Jicama...never tried it...but I try everything because I'm fat and want to like everything i eat lol. I like water chesnuts so maybe I would like it lol. Turnips and ketchup what the hell...gross. Weirdo. lol  Rutabagas never had em either..but willing to try :) Sweet potato fries are AWESOME!!!! YUMMO!!!! Mmmm makes me wants some now at 10:15am. lol

I've had sweet potato fries.  They are absolutely FANTASTIC with some honey mustard dipping sauce.  Yummmmmy!  Cut, fry and salt them just like french fries. As for the other stuff...  yech???  You're definitely adventurous.  I don't think I've ever had turnips before.   I'll have to try them.  I do love turnip greens.. those are completely different though I think.

I keep reading all this stuff you eat....gosh I need to venture out!!! I haven't tried alot of flippin things. I am fat I am supposed to eat everything lol. No. But turnip greens never had em. Arent they like southern food like collard greens and what not? lol. I am glad I dont live in the south I'd be HUGE  I love me some fried chicken and cornbread oh yea!

Lol oh you ill-informed northerners!  We're not a bunch of chicken fried twinkie eaters down here!  You'd be no more huge down here than you are up there.  Having traveled north and live in the south there isn't a whole lot of difference anymore in the foods between the two. Greens are VERY good for you. (Provided you don't cook them in lard! lol)  They are best compared to spinach. Similar in taste and consistency but there are many ways to cook them. (as there are with spinach) 

Ick...spinach...ew. I like baby spinach in my salads but cooked spinach is my worst enemy oh gross. But still..I bet the fried chicken is better in the south than here in the north! lol

Hmm.. I've had fried chicken up there.  I think enough southerners have moved to north to teach you guys how to make fried chicken. Tis true though, our fried chicken is still better.  :)  Mmm GOD FRIED CHICKEN OH YUM!! 

I love jicama...yum yum yum. I have a rutabaga recipe for you but I have to type it up from a cookbook...please hold just a moment :)