Roots Anna Recipes

ROOTS ANNA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place garlic in an ovenproof ramekin; drizzle with olive oil. Roast until light brown and very soft, about 20 minutes. Remove garlic from oven, and let stand until cool enough to handle. Peel garlic, cut into slices, and set aside. Reduce heat to 425 degrees.
• Meanwhile, peel potatoes, and slice them as thinly as possible; place them in a bowl, and put damp paper towel on top to keep them from turning brown. Peel rutabaga, and cut in half, slice as thinly as possible, and cover with a damp paper towel.
• In a 10-inch nonstick ovenproof skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter, swirling pan to coat bottom and sides. Remove from heat. Starting at the sides of the pan, arrange about half of the rutabaga slices in overlapping concentric circles, covering bottom of pan; press to compress. Sprinkle rutabaga with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, and a third of the roasted garlic; dot with 1 tablespoon butter.
• Arrange the potato slices in tight concentric circles over the rutabaga, and press down. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, and another third of the garlic; dot with 1 tablespoon butter. Arrange remaining rutabaga on top, and season again with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and remaining garlic; dot with 1 tablespoon butter.
• Spread a large piece of aluminum foil with remaining tablespoon butter. Cover skillet tightly with the foil, buttered side down. Place a cast-iron skillet on the foil to weigh it down, and transfer to the oven. Bake until vegetables are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 50 to 60 minutes.
• Remove pan from oven, and let stand on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove foil, and invert roots carefully onto a serving dish. Garnish with remaining 1/2 teaspoon thyme, and serve warm. This can be made ahead of time and reheated.

CELERY ROOT "ANNA" WITH BACON AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400° F.
• Cook bacon until crisp and crumble. Melt butter and lightly brush over bottom and sides of a well-seasoned cast-iron or non-stick 10-inch skillet.
• With a sharp knife peel celery root and, using a mandoline or other manual slicer, cut crosswise into 1/16-inch-thick slices. Arrange 1 slice in center of skillet and arrange one layer of slices around center slice in a concentric circle, overlapping them slightly. Lightly brush layer with some of melted butter (being careful not to move slices) and sprinkle with one third bacon, 1 1/2 tablespoons Parmesan, 3/4 teaspoon thyme, 1 teaspoon olives, and salt and pepper to taste. Repeat procedure twice but reverse direction of slices each time so that layers are even. Add one more layer of celery root. Brush top with any remaining butter and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons Parmesan and remaining thyme. Cover top of skillet tightly with foil and bake celery root in middle of oven 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake 20 to 25 minutes more, or until celery root is tender and top and edges are golden brown.
• Transfer celery root Anna with 2 large spatulas to a cutting board and cut into wedges.

RUTABAGA-SWEET POTATO MASH WITH GARLIC AND SAGE

Steps:

• In a pot, combine rutabaga and sweet potatoes; cover with water by a few inches and season generously with salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook until easily pierced with the tip of a knife, about 15 minutes. Drain.
• Return pot to medium heat; add butter. When it melts, add garlic and sage; cook 1 minute. Add cream; bring to a simmer, then remove from heat. Return rutabaga and sweet potatoes to pot; mash to desired consistency and season with salt and pepper. Serve.