Swede
Swede is a good staple winter root vegetable. It's versatile and tasty, and can be boiled with potatoes and mashed for extra-special mash. Before we had pumpkins, my family used to make lanterns out of swedes, hollowed out and carved. They were very spooky!
Rumbledethumps
You can use three of the veg in your bags in this recipe. You can cook the Rumbledethumps earlier in the day and reheat in the oven - give them an extra 20 minutes or so from cold.
600g/1lb 5oz large potatoes, peeled and chopped into large chunks
400g/14oz swede (known as turnip in Scotland), peeled and chopped into large chunks
75g/2¾oz unsalted butter
250g/9oz winter cabbage or kale, finely sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
25g/1oz cheddar cheese, grated
Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Cook the potatoes and swede in a saucepan of salted boiling water until tender. Drain well and return to the pan. Heat 50g/2oz butter in a pan and gently cook the cabbage for a few minutes, until it is tender but retains its colour. Add to the potatoes and swede. Add the remaining 25g/1oz butter and mash together using a potato masher. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the mashed vegetables into an ovenproof lidded dish and top with the cheese. Cover with a lid and for about 30 minutes, then remove the lid and continue to cook for a further 15 minutes, or until piping hot and golden-brown on top.