Rutabaga & Butternut Squash Purée ♥

Today's vegetable recipe: An unusual but magical combination, rutabaga and butternut squash mashed and drizzled with just a touch of maple syrup.

~recipe & photo updated 2011~
~ more recently updated recipes ~
~ recipe republished in 2011, by happenstance, exactly five years later to the day! ~
(first published on Day 304 of A Veggie Venture's first year)

2006: I'll tell you something: It's mighty easy to become addicted to these root vegetable purées. Potato & carrot. Rutabaga & apple. Turnip & potato. And now, rutabaga and butternut squash. Who NEEDS spring's asparagus when there winter vegetables are still so beautiful?

CULINARY REVELATION The squash in tonight's purée was cooked last night. And WOW, what a great way. You know how you risk a finger when peeling and cubing a butternut squash? (Update: No more. How to Cut, Peel & Cube a Butternut Squash and Keep All Ten Fingers.) Forget that. Just toss the whole squash -- the WHOLE squash, washed, uncut, unpierced -- into a 425F oven for 90 minutes. Let it cool and oh-so-easily, the skin will slice open, the flesh will scoop out. (Want more detail? See How to Roast a Whole Butternut Squash.)

2010: The year needs more days! I am remaking lots of winter recipes from the early years of A Veggie Venture and with nearly every one, I want to stop and make just that one thing again and again for a few days, before moving on. This was so the case with this mix of rutabaga and butternut squash. If you've ever found butternut squash just a little heavy, the rutabaga lightens it a bit, without taking away a thing. It's wonderful!

RECIPE for RUTABAGA & BUTTERNUT SQUASH PURÉE

Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Time to table: 50 minutes (presuming the squash is already roasted, otherwise 2 hours)
Makes 3 cups

Salted water to cover
1 pound rutabaga, skin sliced off with a knife, then cubed
Flesh from half a large roasted butternut squash (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Maple syrup to drizzle, optional

Bring the water to boil in a medium pot. (To save on dishes, use one in which you can also mash the vegetables once they're cooked.) Cook the rutabaga until soft, about 40 minutes. Drain and return to the pot. Add the squash and butter, mash until smooth. Season to taste, serve and enjoy, especially with a tiny drizzle of maple syrup!

ALANNA's TIPS & KITCHEN NOTES
2005: Next time, I'll slice the skin off the rutabaga; the carrot peeler didn't go deep enough and the outside edges didn't cook completely. 2010: Yes, a knife works much better than a carrot peeler.
2005: Next time, I'll also use an electric mixer to make the puree; the hand masher seemed to work fine but the texture was rougher than seemed right. 2010: A hand mixer worked great.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE Per Half Cup: 65 Calories; 1 g Protein; 2 g Tot Fat; 1 g Sat Fat; 12 g Carb; 2 g Fiber; NetCarb10; 57 mg Calcium; 1 mg Iron; 31 mg Sodium; 5 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers Old Points 1, PointsPlus 2

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MORE FAVORITE BUTTERNUT SQUASH RECIPES
~ Curried Squash ~
~ Steamed Butternut Squash ~
~ Savory Bread Pudding with Butternut Squash, Chard & Cheddar ~
~ My Favorite Winter Squash Recipes ~
~ more winter squash recipes ~
~ more rutabaga recipes ~
from A Veggie Venture

~ Roasted Butternut Squash & Apple ~
~ Squash Puff ~
~ Winter Stew ~
~ more winter squash recipes ~
~ more rutabaga recipes ~
from Kitchen Parade

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