# What is "Swede?"



## Constance

I was looking at a recipe for Scotch Broth and it called for a diced "Swede". Maybe Ishbel can help me out on this???


----------



## Andy M.

I had to look that one up!   

A Swede is a yellow turnip/rutabaga.


----------



## Barbara L

I'm glad you found that out because my family are Swedes and I would sure hate for someone to dice us up!   

 Barbara


----------



## Ishbel

We use lots of 'swede' in our cooking - in soups, stews, casseroles and not least in things like rumbledethumps and bashed neeps and tatties.


----------



## licia

Ishbel, those are very catchy names.  What are those foods?


----------



## texasgirl

YEA, what are those?? They sound interesting!!


----------



## Piccolina

They call rutabagas "swedes" in Ireland too! I was a little  the first time I saw that too!


----------



## Robo410

when you mash up a cabbage like item (rutabaga, turnip, whatever) with potatoes you start getting cute sounding dishes.  you also get really good eats!


----------



## Piccolina

> when you mash up a cabbage like item (rutabaga, turnip, whatever) with potatoes you start getting cute sounding dishes. you also get really good eats!


Absolutely, a mixed root veg mash/bake can be a beautiful thing! (Celery root is nice with spuds as well.)


----------



## corazon

mmm.  I love Scotch Broth!  Post the recipe if you can!


----------



## daisy

Yep, we get swedes in Australia. The name is interchangeable with turnip. I've only ever been able to eat tiny quantities of it in a vege soup, though it's often included in a Cornish Pastie. It's an acquired taste that I have acquired!

As for the capital S Swedes, I'll have one, thank you. Grey, rather than blonde!


----------



## Ishbel

Here's a thread which has my family recipe for Scotch broth - and a discussion about Swede, turnip, rutabaga!
http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4621&highlight=scotch+broth+soup


Rumbledethumps is just the Scottish version of the Irish potato and cabbage and onion dish called Colcannon.  It is a source of rivalry about which country really 'invented' the dish!  My family don't add swede to the dish, but lot of families do....

Bashed neeps and chappit tatties is the side dishes traditionally served with haggis.  Nothing very exotic, though...  merely mashed  swede turnips (neeps) and mashed, creamed potatoes.

I love to make another Scots standby.  Boil some potatoes/swede with about one third ratio pots/swede.  When tender, mash with a little cream and lots and lots of butter and ground pepper.  Glorious.

We also use grated swede in lots of our traditional soups, eg Scottish lentil soup, in order to intensify the sweet flavour of grated carrots.


----------



## Constance

*Scotch Broth*

Here you go, Corazon...sounds awfully good!

Scotch Broth   
Serve 4    

Ingredients: 
25g/1oz Pearl Barley
225g/8oz Stewing Beef, fat removed
1.1L/2pts Water
75g/3oz Leeks, sliced
225g/8oz Carrot, diced
225g/8oz Swede, diced
Salt and Pepper
50g/2oz Cabbage, shredded

Instructions

1. Place the barley in a pan of cold water, bring to the boil then drain.

2. Return the barley to the pan together with the diced beef and 1.2L/2pts of water. Bring to the boil, skim the surface, then simmer for 1 hour.

3. Add the leeks, carrot, Swede and plenty of salt and pepper and continue to simmer for a further hour. After this time, add the cabbage and cook for a further 20 minutes.  Serve hot.


----------



## Ishbel

What? No dried peas?   I've never had cabbage in Scotch broth, and Scotch broth is traditionally made with mutton or lamb.  Still, let's face it, ANY vegetable will add more flavour!


----------



## kitchenelf

Moved to the vegetable forum


----------



## Piccolina

> What? No dried peas?


My thoughts too, or  a handful of frozen guys thrown in towards the end of the cooking time 

I also like to go overbaord with the barley...it's such a fantastic grain, and I relish any chance to eat it!


----------



## corazon

Ishbel said:
			
		

> What? No dried peas?  I've never had cabbage in Scotch broth, and Scotch broth is traditionally made with mutton or lamb. Still, let's face it, ANY vegetable will add more flavour!


 
I don't remember cabbage in there either, I don't like cabbage anyway.  I can't remember what kind of dried peas are in there, are they just green peas?


----------



## Ishbel

They are just dried green peas - VERY, VERY hard!  Have to be soaked overnight before use - but really add a depth of flavour to Scotch Broth!

IC - the Scots use barley A LOT!  Re your comments about frozen peas... I'd never use them, it has to be the dried large peas!


----------



## Michael in FtW

Swede = Swede turnip = yellow turnip = rutabaga 

While similar to a turnip - a rutabaga has a slightly different taste and is sweeter than a turnip, and takes longer to cook.


----------



## Piccolina

> Swede = Swede turnip = yellow turnip = rutabaga
> 
> While similar to a turnip - a rutabaga has a slightly different taste and is sweeter than a turnip, and takes longer to cook.


 *THE MAN* has spoken! Love how you can always clarify things Michael - thanks!


----------



## Gravy Queen

Although similar they are different, a turnip is white and the swede is yellow. The swede has a slightly sweeter taste whereas the turnip is more peppery . I actually prefer turnip. I use it a lot for root mash with carrots.


----------



## acerbicacid

What we call turnip in England - pictures here (although it seems that swede has invaded )https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=p...=oictures+of+turnips&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 - is really called French turnip and the swede (rutabaga) is Swedish turnip.

When I lived in Glasgow for a while (my husband was on the Highlands and Islands Flying Ambulance run).    I was given a recipe by a local lady for her vegetable soup, I couldn't understand why it wasn't the same colour as hers.    It was how I found out that in Scotland rutabaga was called turnip.     Confused - I was too


----------



## buckytom

a swede is a norwegian guy that's better at hocke but not as good at skiing or speed skating.


----------



## Steve Kroll

Old thread... 

A swede (or Swedish turnip) is what people in the British Isles/Australia/NZ call the vegetable we know as rutabaga in the US and Canada. It's a cross between a turnip and a cabbage. The name rutabaga comes from the Swedish word "rotabagge". The photo on the right below is a rutabaga/swede. I must have ate a thousand of these things growing up.

The photo on the left is a turnip. They look somewhat similar, but a rutabaga has more of an orange tint on the outside and tends to be larger.


----------



## Barbara L

Steve Kroll said:


> Old thread...
> 
> A swede (or Swedish turnip) is what people in the British Isles/Australia/NZ call the vegetable we know as rutabaga in the US and Canada. It's a cross between a turnip and a cabbage. The name rutabaga comes from the Swedish word "rotabagge". The photo on the right below is a rutabaga/swede. I must have ate a thousand of these things growing up.
> 
> The photo on the left is a turnip. They look somewhat similar, but a rutabaga has more of an orange tint on the outside and tends to be larger.


I don't know Steve. My mom didn't look at all like that!


----------



## Addie

Barbara L said:


> I'm glad you found that out because my family are Swedes and I would sure hate for someone to dice us up!
> 
> Barbara


 
 It is only 6:45 in the morning. Too early for belly laughs. I haven't even finished my first cup of coffee.


----------



## Addie

Some of this thread belongs in "Today's Funny." You all have me laughing very hard. I need time out to catch my breath. A great way to start my day. Thanks to all of you.


----------



## CWS4322

Swedes are rutabagas. The other turnips pictured are "summer" crops, rutabagas are fall crops. But the other definition of a Swede is s/one born in Sweden. During WWI in England, rutabagas were planted as cow food. I don't know why rutabagas are called Swedes in Great Britain. I assume it is because rutabaga is very popular in the Scandinavian countries. I love rutabaga. The tops are also very tasty. BTW, the Swedes that come out of my garden don't look anything like the picture--not nearly as purple, more blonde in color.


----------



## msmofet

Ishbel said:


> I love to make another Scots standby. Boil some potatoes/swede with about one third ratio pots/swede. When tender, mash with a little cream and lots and lots of butter and ground pepper. Glorious.


 Mom would make mashed taters and turnip/rutabagga like that and I loved it. But my hub and dd's are not fans


----------

