Rutabaga Roulade
Recipe type: Main Dish
Serves: 4-6
 
Ingredients
For the creamed spinach filling:
  • 2 lb baby spinach, stems trimmed
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
  • ¾ cup heavy cream
  • salt and pepper to taste
For the crust:
  • 2½ lb rutabagas, washed, peeled, and cut into quarters or eighths
  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • 5 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 1½ cups milk (i used soy. the recipe doesn't specify but i assume something like 2% would work nicely as well)
  • ½ teaspoon salt, more to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper, more to taste
  • 6 eggs, at room temperature
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
Instructions
  1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add rutabaga pieces and cover. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until rutabaga is soft and can be mashed (think like a potato).
  2. While the rutabaga is cooking, make the creamed spinach. Pour about an inch of water into a large pot and set a colander on top so the bottom is just off the water. Bring the water to a boil and fill colander with spinach (I did it in batches), cover with lid and steam for 5-6 minutes, until spinach is wilted but has not lost its color.
  3. Transfer to bowl and repeat process until all spinach is steamed. Drain additional water from spinach and chop coarsely.
  4. Melt butter in a large pan and add spinach over high heat, stirring frequently for about 15 minutes, until all liquid is gone.
  5. Reduce heat to medium, add flour, and stir gently.
  6. Reduce heat to low and add in cream, mixing well.
  7. Cover the pan and cook for 15-25 minutes, until most of cream is absorbed. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and set aside.
  8. Once rutabagas are soft, remove from water and puree in food processor. transfer to large mixing bowl.
  9. In a small pot, heat milk on low heat until hot but not boiling.
  10. Meanwhile, in a medium sized pot, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Add in flour, one tablespoon at a time, mixing as you go to make sure butter and flour are well integrated.
  11. Remove from heat and pour hot milk into pot with butter. Use a hand mixer to whisk together.
  12. Place back on heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
  13. Pour milk mixture over rutabaga puree.
  14. Place bowl on stand mixer and beat together until consistent mixture forms. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  15. Preheat your oven to 400.
  16. Separate the egg yolks and whites into two bowls.
  17. Add yolks, a little bit at a time, to bowl with puree, mixing at low speed.
  18. Then, beat egg whites using a hand mixer until peaks form. Add cream of tartar and a pinch of salt, and beat until firm peaks form.
  19. Add a quarter of the egg white mixture to the puree and mix on low. Remove from stand mixer, and manually fold in the remaining egg whites.
  20. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and brush onto parchment paper.
  21. Pour rutabaga mixture into baking sheet, smoothing out with a spoon, and bake for 25 minutes.
  22. Remove from oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes, then cover the dish with a clean kitchen towel. Place a large cookie sheet or a large cutting board on top of the towel and flip over so dough is on the towel.
  23. Warm up creamed spinach dish and spread over rutabaga dough, staying about an inch away from the ends. Use the towel to help roll the roulade lengthwise to form into a log (without the towel, I can tell you this isn't possible, the dough breaks apart).
  24. Place a platter or cutting board at the edge of the towel and roll roulade onto the platter. Serve immediately. If it doesn't look like yours is going to roll, do what I did and fold the ends in, and make it a pie.
Recipe by Things I Made Today at https://www.thingsimadetoday.com/2013/05/07/rutabaga-roulade-with-creamed-spinach-the-most-ridiculous-thing-ive-ever-made/