SWEDE	VEGETABLES - KNOW YOUR VEG

With its creamy-purple skin and rounded shape swede is a popular root vegetable. It has an attractive pale orange-yellow coloured flesh with a bittersweet, mustardy flavour. Swedes are the traditional accompaniment to haggis which is eaten in Scotland on Burns night where they are known as neeps. Over-sized swedes tend to be woody and tough so choose smaller swedes, with smooth skin if possible. Avoid any that have damaged or blemished skin.

How To Use Swede

Swede is served cooked. Swede can be served mashed or boiled as a side dish or added to winter stews and casseroles. It can also be roasted in fat around a joint of meat.

How To Prepare Swede

Scrub and peel swede thickly to remove any tough skin and roots. Wash and cut into even-sized chunks.

How To Cook Swede

Swede can be boiled or steamed. To boil, bring a pan of water to the boil and add the chunks of swede, cook for 15 - 20 minutes or until tender. To steam, place the prepared chunks in a steamer and cook for 20 - 25 minutes. Serve the cooked swede chunks as pieces or mash with butter, black pepper and a little nutmeg or horseradish.

How To Store Swede

Keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.

The information and images for this article have come from www.thinkvegetables.co.uk. It provides full information on all the main vegetables available on the UK market including nutritional information and delicious recipes. The site is a service provided by Mack Vegetables, one of the largest and most successful suppliers of fresh vegetables in the UK, serving a wide range of customers from caterers to major multiples. You can find out more about Mack by visiting the website at www.mwmack.co.uk