SWEDE ( BRASSICA NAPUS): HEALTH BENEFITS OF SWEDE USES AND HISTORY: BASHED NEEPS AND TATTIES ( TRADITIONAL SCOTTISH RECIPE)

SWEDE (BRASSICA NAPUS)
I hadn’t realized that swedes were the subject of some confusion in the English-speaking world. They come from the same family as turnips and look like giant ones, but whereas turnips have white flesh, a peeled swede has a golden yellow flesh. These vegetables are known as rutabaga in the States but they are not genetically the same, it would seem.
   The rutabaga has 38 chromosomes, the swede 18 or 19 and the turnip 10. This information isn’t much use when buying a swede, but that’s the difference between them. Even in Britain now, people confuse swede and turnips and that is a little hard to understand. However it could have something to do with the Scots who call swedes “neeps”. They are served at Burn’s Night banquets with tatties (potatoes) and haggis.
    No one seems to be able to say for certain where the Swede originated, but the US name rutabaga comes from the Swedish name for this vegetable “rottabaggar,” meaning “turnip cabbage” It is believed by some that the swede came from Bohemia (Eastern Europe) in the 17th century, but the English name would rather suggest that it came from Sweden. It might be a cross between kale and a turnip, hence the name “cabbage turnip” In 1768 a Mr. Reynolds was given “a Bounty of Fifty Pounds … for his introduction of the turnep rooted cabbage not heretofore made use (of) in this Country”, by the Society for the Encouragement of the Arts, Manufactures and Commerce in Britain, now called The Royal Society of Arts.
    The swede was first described in detail by a Swiss botanist in 1620 and there are references to what were probably swedes in the late Middle Ages.
cut swede
   Like other members of the Brassica family which includes broccoli and brussel sprouts, the swede is good for your health. It contains high levels of potassium, which helps prevent cardiovascular disease and lowers blood pressure. The fibre content in swedes will relieve constipation and they are also a mild diuretic. They contain vitamins  C, E and K, as well as the B-complex ones, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, B6, folate, traces of selenium, pantothenic acid, choline, folate, phosphorous, magnesium, copper, zinc and are high in calcium. They also have Omega-3 and -6 fatty acids. The young leaves are high in vitamin A and calcium and can be cooked as you would cabbage and eaten as a vegetable. When boiled they are a very good source of vitamin C.
   If you have kidney problems you should avoid eating swedes, but otherwise they are good for milk production in breast-feeding mothers, improve stamina and digestion, asthma and lower incidences of bruising. They also lower the risk of cataracts forming in the eyes. Because they contain both zinc and thiamin they are good for erectile dysfunctions too, although they are not well-known for their aphrodisiac properties!
   You can eat them boiled and then mixed with walnuts, raisins and honey, as they have a sweet taste. You cut them in cubes and boil in salted water for about 20 minutes. You can roast them too: parboil them (cubed and peeled) then toss in sunflower oil and roast for 45 mins in a moderate oven, or parboil them and put them around roasting meat, covering them with the meat juices. They are good mashed with carrots, turnips, potatoes and butter, or with any of those vegetables, singly. You can also add them to soups and they are especially good with turnips, carrots and parsnips
bashed neeps, tatties and carrots

BASHED NEEPS AND TATTIES
Ingredients
½ kg swede, peeled and cubed and boiled for 20 mins in salted water
¾ kg potatoes, boiled
40 gr butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
Strain the potatoes and swede and mash together with butter, salt and pepper.
Serve with meat of your choice.
This has Taste and is a Treat.


WHAT ARE CHILGOZA? BIG PINE NUTS FROM PINUS GERARDIANA: HOW TO MAKE KISH MISH

CHILGOZA, PINE NUTS, (PINUS GERARDIANA.WALL)
Chilgoza pine nuts come from the Chilgoza pine tree which is found in the north western Himalayan region. Its range extends from Garhwal to Baluchistan in Pakistan and on to Afghanistan, and is mainly found in the upper valleys of the rivers Chennai, Ravi and Sutlej, at altitudes of between 5500 and 9000 feet. It is a hardy tree which can withstand cold and drought and requires little soil, so it is extremely valuable to the ecology of hilly regions as it helps prevent erosion. It has little commercial value for its timber, but can be used as fuel, which is why Chilgoza forests are being depleted. There are initiatives to replant trees that have been felled, and an educational program which is intended to promote the conservation of the trees in Himachal Pradesh in India and in the Suleiman mountain range of Pakistan. Chilgoza are exported all over the world.
    The seed is cylindrical and 2 to 3 centimetres long, with a dark brown outer skin, which has to be removed before eating. This is used by small children to make “windmills” with thin pieces of tree bark or twigs. They blow on the skin to make it turn like a fan. The seeds contain palmitic, stearic, oleic and linoleic fatty acids and contain the minerals calcium, phosphorous and iron, mainly. They also contain vitamins B2 (riboflavin) and B3 (niacin). The tree exudes an oleoresin when tapped which is a good source of turpentine oil. In the subcontinent the pine nuts are used as a general tonic, a nutrient and an aphrodisiac, as they reputedly increase a man’s sperm count and help with erection problems. They are used to treat chronic arthritis, taken with honey, and are stimulants, and help with the treatment of a number of skin problems including ringworm, acne, eczema and dry skin. The seed oil is used as a dressing for sores, and wounds. The cones contain a white resin which is used to patch up wooden containers. The bark of the tree is used to make baskets and buckets as is the bark of the Shahtoot mulberry tree.
   Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) is also found in other nuts such as almonds, pistachios and walnuts and is good for growth and the production of red blood cells. It promotes healthy skin and hair, the liver’s functions and good vision, reducing the risks of cataracts forming. It is an antioxidant and so neutralises free radicals in the body and helps prevent cardiovascular disease and cancer.
    Vitamin B3, (niacin) improves the sex hormones and cortisone, thyroxin and insulin levels in the body and also promotes a sense of well-being. It is also a memory booster. It also helps to lower blood pressure and promotes the flow of blood in the body. Other sources of riboflavin are peanuts, turnips and sunflower seeds.
     You can add Chilgoza or other pine nuts to the rice in our biryani recipe, or try this one below.

KISH MISH
Ingredients
100 gr peanuts, skins removed
100gr dried coconut, cut into small slivers
6 whole walnuts (remove them from the shell and chop)
100 gr Chilgoza with skin removed
200 gr sultanas
50 gr misri, pounded

Method

Mix all the ingredients together and use in winter as a healthy, delicious snack.
This has Taste and is a Treat.

PINE NUTS ARE DIFFERENT TO CHILGOZA: PESTO SAUCE RECIPE

PINE NUTS (PINUS PINEA)
Pine nuts are grown on several different types of pine tree, notably on the Stone Pine (Pinus pinea) which is native to the Iberian Peninsula and Italy. It takes along time before a tree can be commercially harvested and the process of extracting the pine nuts, which are really seeds, has to be done by hand. That makes the harvesting of pine nuts labour intensive and so they are expensive. There are pine nuts growing all over the world, and these are called Chilgoza in Pakistan.
   Pine trees are the source of turpentine oil used in paints and varnishes and also are used for their resin which may be added to varnishes or used to make rosin for violin bows. The resin is also made into “brewer’s pitch” which used to be used for coating the inside of beer casks, and which can be used for distilling resinous oils. Tar is obtained from the roots of Pinus sylvestris, and this is impure turpentine.
pine cone
   No doubt hunter-gatherers collected pine nuts and the trees have been cultivated for more than 6000 years. The Roman legions carried them with them to give them energy boosts and for nourishment. In ancient Rome they were a staple food for the ordinary citizens along with wheat or barley porridge, but the wealthier classes used them as aphrodisiacs and stuffed the dormice with them along with herbs, rice and honey. (The little mice were farmed for the purpose of eating and were considered a delicacy.) Galenus wrote in 200 AD that they were a great aphrodisiac and that a man wishing to get back his youthful sexual vigour should take “A glass of thick honey, plus 20 almonds, and 100 pine nuts, repeated for three nights.” As pine nuts contain zinc they will help with erectile problems. They were also mentioned as an aphrodisiac in the 16th century Arab sex manual “The Perfumed Garden” which was translated into English in the 19th century by Sir Richard Burton (not the actor). They were also used to boost the libido in Mediaeval times.
   In 1666 Pope Clement IX ordered that a pine nut plantation should be grown on the coast near Rome so that he could be sure of a plentiful supply. Archaeologists excavating Pompeii found stores of pine nuts underneath the volcanic ash. Even today they are much prized in Italian and Greek cuisine. In Greek they are koukounaria and pignoli in Italian.
   They contain the minerals calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese. The amino acids, and the following vitamins: - Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), the B-complex vitamins,thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, B6, folate and B12, along with traces of selenium. They help protect from cardiovascular disease, cancer and the symptoms associated with ageing including delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
   Along with basil and Parmesan cheese they are the main ingredients of Pesto sauce. A traditional Greek and Turkish dish is mussels stuffed with rice, dill and pine nuts.

PESTO SAUCE
Ingredients
2 cups fresh basil leaves (packed into cup)
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup olive oil
3 tbsps pine nuts
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
freshly ground black pepper

Method
 Place a third of the basil leaves, Parmesan and pine nuts with a drizzle of olive oil into a blender and blend thoroughly. Repeat until all the ingredients have been blended then put them all together and blend once more.
This can be stored in the fridge for up to a week or frozen for a few months. If you freeze it in ice cube trays you can use it if you just want a meal for one person with pasta.
This has Taste and is a Treat.


WHAT IS SHELJUM? TURNIP: GHONGLO, BRASSICA RAPA: HEALTH BENEFITS OF TURNIP USES AND HISTORY: TURNIP AND POTATO SOUP AND A TURNIP GREENS RECIPE

TURNIPS, SHELJUM, GHONGLO, BRASSICA RAPA
Turnips have been cultivated for at least 4000 years but no one is certain where they came from; possibilities are western Asia and north eastern Europe. They like the cold British and Northern European climate though and were wonderful vegetables as they could be stored over winter They lost out in the popularity stakes when the potato began to be imported and grown but have recently undergone a rise in popularity in Britain mainly because they are cheaper than other vegetables.
   They belong to the Cruciferae family of leafy green vegetables and have similar health benefits to Brussel sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, kale and cauliflower. The Greeks and Romans developed and bred new varieties of turnips and they were valuable vegetables in the Middle Ages, when they were staples. They became known as the poor man’s vegetable throughout Europe and were fed to cattle to help fatten them and keep them over winter. In Germany during the economic blockade, the winter of 1915-16 is known as “The Turnip Winter” as the potato crop failed and so everything edible was made from turnips.
  Colonists took turnips to America, and they flourished. The wild turnip grew there as it does in Britain, Cuckoo-Pint and Jack-in-the-Pulpit are synonyms for it. In the Indian subcontinent it was cultivated for the oil from its seeds in 1500 BC.
   In Pakistan, around Lahore it is looked down on as the poor man’s vegetable and is given to animals to eat, but in Rawalpindi it is on display in vegetable shops now and sold with the greens which are used to make a different kind of saag, as they have a mild mustardy flavour.
   There is a Russian folk tale about an enormous turnip which a grandfather had planted. It grew so big that he couldn’t pull it out of the ground alone. He called his wife, who called her granddaughter, who called the dog which called the cat which called a mouse and only when they were all pulling together could they pull the turnip out of the ground.
   The Irish and Scots used to make Jack o’Lanterns out of turnips and the reasons for this are told in our pumpkin post.
   Just like other members of the Brassica family, turnips are very beneficial for our health and so are the tops, so don’t throw them away as it has been proved that they can help fight cancer. They also contain 4 times the amount of calcium than cabbage, and have a higher glucosinate content than it, kale and broccoli. The phyto-nutrients the tops contain are converted in the body to isothiocyanates (ITCs) which have cancer preventing properties. The greens can help prevent breast and prostate cancer, ovarian cancer and colon of the cancer and lungs. They also have antioxidant properties as they contain vitamins C, E, beta-carotene and manganese, as well as omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin K. the green tops can also help sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis and improve our cognitive functions.
   Turnips also have the ability when crushed or cooked to deactivate an oestrogen metabolite which promotes the growth of tumours especially in breast cells. They can also help prevent cancer cells spreading in the body. Sulforaphine is a type of isothiocyanates which increases the liver’s functioning and so improves its ability to detoxify carcinogenic compounds and free radicals and other harmful substances. The lutein contained in turnips helps prevent cataracts and cardio-vascular disease. They lower the risk of becoming obese, lower blood pressure and help diabetes sufferers.
  In Pakistan if you have burning soles in winter, or when the seasons change, you peel turnips and boil them then add salt to the cooking water and use it as a foot bath. Then you make a paste with the boiled turnips and apply it to the soles of your feet. You put socks on over the paste and leave them on while your feet sweat, thus getting rid of that irritating burning sensation at least for a few days.
  Throughout the ages they have been cooked in a variety of ways, including wrapped in wild garlic or onion leaves and roasted over a fire and used in salads instead of cabbage, for coleslaw. If you use the green tops then steam them for best results. Rinse them in cold running water then chop into ½ inch pieces and leave to rest for 5 mins having squeezed some lemon juice over them to make the enzymes active. Put 2inches of water in a pan and steam the leaves for 5 mins. When they are cooked pour lemon juice and olive oil over them and some lightly fried chopped garlic. Serve as a side dish.


TURNIP AND POTATO SOUP
Ingredients
½ kg turnips, peeled and diced
½ kg potatoes, boiled
1 large onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic
2 sticks celery, washed and chopped
1 bay leaf, torn
olive oil
a handful of chopped parsley
¼ tsp grated nutmeg
50 gr. pumpkin seeds, husks removed and discarded
natural yoghurt or cream


Method
Fry the garlic and the onion for 5 mins in olive oil then add the turnips, pumpkin seeds and celery and fry for a few more minutes, in a large pan.
Add the chicken stock, bay leaf and parsley and bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 30 mins.
Add the potatoes and grated nutmeg and heat through.
Remove the pan from the heat and blend.
Serve with a swirl of natural yoghurt and freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste.
Serve with crusty bread or rolls.
This has Taste and is a Treat.