Rutaloda

End of the Road Recipes:

Thanksgiving will be here before we know it. Since entering the food writing realm, I have talked to a lot of people about their holiday food traditions. I can say on good authority that most families have one unusual signature holiday dish that may make outsiders turn up their noses.

In my family, that dish is rutaloda (pronounced root-a-loh-da).

Rutaloda is a baked rutabaga casserole. It is one of the recipes that has to be on our table at every holiday meal. Admittedly, it is an acquired taste for most. I did not care for it as a child, but always took a little spoonful to appease my grandma. These days, I always look forward to a big spoonful.

The original recipe was passed down by my Finnish great-grandmother, though it was never actually written down. Therefore, we all make it a little different and none of us can agree on how to spell it.

In Finland, this rutabaga casserole is usually referred to as “lanttulaatikko.” For years, I wondered why we called it by a different name. One day while watching a cooking segment with the Minnesota-born Finnish cook Beatrice Ojakangas, she mentioned that the word “lada” (pronounced loh-da) is a Swedish word for casserole. I knew from my past attempts at translating the word “rutaloda,” that the Swedish word for root is “rot.” When the two words are put together, you get “rot lada.” Since my great-grandmother was from a Swedish speaking region in Finland, I think I may have finally cracked the code on the name “rutaloda.”

Most Finnish rutabaga casseroles contain mashed rutabaga, an egg, a pinch of sugar, salt and pepper, with a topping of buttered bread crumbs that gets baked until browned and crispy in the oven. Our rendition is much sweeter, creamier, and we add cinnamon in place of pepper. We also skip the breadcrumbs. My grandma always dotted the top with butter, so her rutaloda had a dappled effect. I typically just mix the butter right into the filling so mine has a smooth surface. My sister and I started adding nutmeg and vanilla to the mix.

The flavor of rutaloda is reminiscent of a crustless pumpkin pie with an earthy, more pungent bite. In fact, I would rather have an extra serving of rutaloda instead of a slice of pumpkin pie. If you have a unique family recipe, I would like to hear about it. Send me an email at endoftheroadrecipes@ gmail.com.

Ingredients:

1 small rutabaga (about 1 pound), peeled and cut up (see notes) 1 3/4 cups whole milk (or half and half if you want it extra rich) 2 large eggs 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons softened butter, plus extra for greasing 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon plus extra for sprinkling 1 pinch ground nutmeg 1 pinch salt Instructions:

Place the rutabaga in a saucepan with water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook until a mashing consistency is reached. Drain off the water. Allow the rutabaga to cool for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 1 1/2 or 2 quart casserole dish with butter. Place the rutabaga in a blender with the remaining ingredients. Blend until very smooth, then pour into the prepared dish. Sprinkle extra cinnamon on top. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until set. Allow the rutaloda to cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Yield: 12 servings.

Notes: I prefer to use small rutabagas whenever possible. Larger rutabagas are extra firm and they are not as sweet as the small ones. To peel, place the rutabaga on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, slice off the wax-coated skin. Once peeled, I recommend cutting the rutabaga into any way that feels comfortable. Due to the rutabaga’s firm texture, I do not recommend trying to cut through the center. Be sure to make a flat surface of one side of the rutabaga so you can keep it from slipping on the cutting board. I like to start by slicing off semi-thin pieces, rotating after each slice. After slicing, cut the rutabaga into pieces (the size or shape does not matter as long as the pieces are close to the same thickness). If you are not comfortable with cutting the rutabaga, you can place it in a crockpot after peeling. Add a couple inches of water to the crockpot and cook on low until a knife inserted in the center slips out easily. Cut into pieces prior to blending.