Rutabaga

It is a testimony to the power of our appetite for novelty that the lowly rutabaga (Brassica napus) has just now begun enjoying a moment in the glare of chic. In most of its lifespan, since it emerged spontaneously as a hybrid of two other Brassicas—turnips (B. rapa var. rapa) and cabbage (B. oleracea var. capitata)—growing near each other in medieval European gardens, the rutabaga, aka yellow turnip aka swede aka rape, has occupied the unenviable position of humblest vegetable of them all.

We’re concerned here with the unpopular, globular, galumphing, waxed root vegetable which, when peeled, cleavered into sections, and cooked in boiling water, will yield a perfectly agreeable yellow mash. Glamorous chefs are currently inventing clever new recipes for this maligned—and very cheap—vegetable. But the classic is the classic bashed neeps, a Scottish puree that has kept crofters north of the River Tweed warm against the winter chill. “Neeps” is their word for rutabaga (and white turnips), from the same root that gives turnips their second syllable: the Latin napus. As for “rutabaga, ” it’s of Swedish origin, actually from the dialect of West Götland: rotabagge, or root bag. The rutabaga itself came to England from Sweden, which must be why they call them swedes over there (lowercase and lower class).