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The Swede that wouldn't die!

(45 Posts)
Elegran Sun 18-Oct-15 17:57:19

You hold it in a teatowel, jings, and it does work - come to the next Burns lunch and see. We'll let you do the scooping.

jinglbellsfrocks Sun 18-Oct-15 17:56:39

I use to layer sliced sewed with rashers of collar bacon in a saucepan and cook it slowly with some butter. You had to remember to put it on shortly after breakfast.

Luckygirl Sun 18-Oct-15 17:54:43

I love swede! All soft and buttery and mashed to perfection! Bliss!

A foreign friend was staggered to see us eating it and said it was cattle food where she came from.

I think you have a rogue swede!

jinglbellsfrocks Sun 18-Oct-15 17:54:36

grin

Yes, but you would have to hold it steady.

Ana Sun 18-Oct-15 17:49:54

Surely you'd use a spoon to scoop it out...confused

jinglbellsfrocks Sun 18-Oct-15 17:45:18

You would burn your fingers scooping it out if you used Elred's way. Or have to eat it cold. Don't go there. I don't believe it anyway.

Elegran Sun 18-Oct-15 17:44:04

That is how I did swede for twelve (or was it 14?) at the Burns Lunch some of us Scottish gransnetters held. It was magic! You do need to mash it a bit, though and add some butter as you do.

It was two swedes, one after the other, and I think it was glassortwo who did the actual mashing, so she is the one to tell you how much effort it was. There was certainly no peeling or chopping. It doesn't work with small turnips though - they burn.

The other magic on that day was the frozen mash - three cheers for Auntie Bessie.

jinglbellsfrocks Sun 18-Oct-15 17:43:42

You still cook swede?! You can buy it ready mashed you know. Or just ready chopped if you feel the need to cook. confused

Anne58 Sun 18-Oct-15 17:34:43

That could revolutionise swede cooking Elrel! Too late for this week, but worth bearing in mind!

Elrel Sun 18-Oct-15 16:44:41

October SW magazine: 'The Singing Swede' is a no mash recipe. Take one medium swede (no need to peel, chop or prick) and microwave on high for 15-25 minutes, turning half way. It will whistle as it cooks!
Cut off top and scoop out mash!

hildajenniJ Sun 18-Oct-15 16:39:41

That's how I do them phoenix. I have encountered rather unforgiving swedes in my time, but the one you have is exceptional. I only hope it tastes good after all the cooking it has had.

Anne58 Sun 18-Oct-15 16:32:22

Deeda I top and tail them, then slice, then peel. Far too much hassle to try and peel them whole!

Deedaa Sun 18-Oct-15 15:56:39

Why not? You have to make your own entertainment in the country grin

In the good old days when I used to buy swede to put in our pasties I nearly amputated several fingers trying to hack the skin off. I usually ended up chopping them up and giving them to the goats!

Anne58 Sun 18-Oct-15 15:51:46

Sorry to disappoint! This is a quiet Devon village, we don't go around boiling and mashing foreigners!

rosesarered Sun 18-Oct-15 15:48:51

The Rasputin of turnips! respect!

Ana Sun 18-Oct-15 15:26:58

Yes, roses, I thought this was going to be about a Swedish person with extraordinary survival powers! grin

rosesarered Sun 18-Oct-15 15:23:57

Perhaps it's really a mangleworzle?grin

ninathenana Sun 18-Oct-15 15:22:25

Ooh err, phoenix grin
I'd like to make a witty retort but I'm just left puzzled

rosesarered Sun 18-Oct-15 15:20:46

And here's me thinking you had just done in a Scandnavian person!

Anne58 Sun 18-Oct-15 15:17:57

I posted on another thread that our meal today would include mashed swede. Reader, I may have inadvertently lied blush

As we have a large, late breakfast on a Sunday, we have our main meal around 6pm. I prep my veg in advance, and cook the swede (if we are having it) and put in a dish to heat up in the oven later.

I find it always a bit of a bu**er to chop, but wield my large knife, slice it up then peel and chop it. This one had an odd feel about it, a fact that I mentioned to Mr P.

I set it to boil, and gave it extra time as I had already marked it as a potentially awkward beast. I prodded it with a sharp knife, then topped up the water and left it for another 10 minutes. I prodded it again, topped it up again, and left it again.

Eventually after a considerable amount of time and much electricity, I decided that surely it must be cooked by now, and made a small quantity of vegetable stock to mash it in (NOTE, less calories than butter, and with the addition of plenty of black pepper no one has ever noticed the difference wink )

As Mr P had blotted his copy book by "suddenly" remembering that there was some washing in his suitcase, just after I had finished the last load, I set him on mashing duty.

Mr P is a big strong chap, and well able to wield a masher in such a way that most vegetables quake at his approach.

After a few minutes bashing away, the curses started. That was when I knew, that for the second time in our marriage we had encountered....."The Swede that wouldn't die"!

It was decanted into a dish, covered in cling film and subjected to a severe microwaving. We took it out, lifted the film and set to again.

Still it resisted! Back into the microwave it went, this time on a higher power setting. Confident that we had finally blasted it into submission, we took it out and applied the utensil.

It then went into the food processor confused. This of course caused more washing up. It still looks as if there may be some fight left in it.

I think we might be having dinner without swede.