Braised Rutabaga with Beets and Spinach

My friend walked me through how she prepared Rutabaga a couple of weeks ago when her house smelled so good. I took her basic method and created this recipe.

Meatless Monday Menu - Braised Rutabaga, Rice Pilaf
Farm Share Produce – Beets, Rutabaga

Braised Rutabaga with Beets and Spinach

2 T olive oil
1 t cumin seeds
6 cardamom pods
½ t cayenne
1 t dried thyme
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
1 T garlic minced
1 T ginger minced
1 6oz. can tomato paste
1 cup broth (vegetable, chicken)
2-3 small beets, peeled and shredded
2 cups rutabaga, 1 inch cubes
1 cup spinach (any green, the bitter the better with rutabaga)
½ cup cream
Water, as needed

Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Crack open the cardamom pods with a mortar and pestle or under a knife.
When the oil is hot add the cumin, cardamom, cayenne, thyme, cinnamon, and bay leaves. Cook 1-2 minutes until cumin seeds begin to pop. Add garlic and ginger, cook 1 more minute. Add tomato paste and cook until the seasoned paste begins to stick to the bottom of the pan, 5-7 minutes.
Add the broth, and deglaze the pan. Add the beets and rutabaga, stir to combine and bring to a boil. When boiling turn down to simmer and cover. Check every 20 minutes. Add water if the mixture is becoming too thick. You want it to coat the rutabaga like thick gravy. Cook a total of 50-60 minutes.
Add spinach and cream. Cook a few minutes more until spinach wilts and cream heats through.
Serve with rice or flat bread.

Rutabaga Fries

Thursday Menu – Hamburgers, Rutabaga Fries, Broccoli
Farm Share Produce – Rutabaga

The Rutabaga Fries were delicious! A little spicy, which we like, but you can control that by altering the amount of cayenne you put in. These would work with any root vegetable – parsnips, rutabaga, potatoes, sweet potatoes, etc.

Rutabaga Fries
This recipe calls for parsnips, I substituted rutabaga.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aarti-sequeira/parsnip-chips-recipe/index.html