Cardamom Roasted Root Vegetables

My first encounter with a swede was a few months ago… and I don’t mean a person from Sweden, but the root vegetable. A swede or rutabaga is also called a Swedish turnip, hence the name. It originated as a cross between the cabbage and the turnip, and even the leaves can be eaten as with other root vegetables. (My mother makes a delicious green soup traditional in Portugal and Galicia out of the leaves of the parsnip, which are called grelos. Note to self: request this soup over the holidays at my parents house! ;))

Anyway, back to the swede. It’s a very versatile vegetable, and you can make soups, salads, stews, currys and even cakes with it. This time, as I still had some parsnips, I decided on some roasted veggies to accompany our salmon steaks.

CARDAMOM ROASTED ROOT VEGETABLES

Ingredients, for 4

  • one medium to large swede, peeled and chopped into squares
  • 2 parsnips, peeled and sliced lengthwise
  • 3-4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced lengthwise
  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 6-8 large mushrooms, halved
  • 2 small bok choy, rinsed and leaves separated
  • 3 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
  • 1 tablespoon raw honey
  • sea salt and pepper, to taste
  • thyme, optional
Process
Preheat the oven to 200C.
Prepare all of the vegetables and place them, excluding the bok choy, in an ovenproof roasting pan. Pour the olive oil over the vegetables, mixing so that they are well coated. Roast for 30 minutes, turning a few times. (Depending on your oven, you may have to use the bottom or middle rack. With my oven, I find that places things on the bottom rack helps to cook without burning.)
Add the bok choy leaves and the cardamom and honey. Mix well and roast an additional 30 minutes, turning a few times. Remove from oven and transfer to a serving dish. Season to taste and sprinkle with thyme, if desired.

 

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