With all the fall food titles coming to a bookshelve near us, I am finding myself looking at a binder full of recipes to share with you all.

Besides 225 recipes, Roots (Chronicle Books, September 2012) by Diane Morgan serves us a large helping of the "history and lore of 29 major roots, their nutritional content, how to buy and store them, and much more, from the familiar (beets, carrots, potatoes) to the unfamiliar (jicama, salsify, malanga) to the practically unheard of (cassava, galangal, crosnes)". 

Here's a recipe you can try with one of your Oktoberfest brew picks. 

MICROBREW-BRAISED RUTABAGAS

Who knew? With a little experimentation, I’ve discovered rutabagas and beer are made for each other. Add this side dish to a wintertime menu that features roast pork, grilled sausages, braised brisket, or even roast chicken. A porter-style beer works best, delivering a rich malt flavor without a bitter finish.

SERVES 6 AS A SIDE DISH

2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, about 12 oz/340 g, thinly sliced
2 tbsp firmly packed dark brown sugar
4 tsp kosher or fine sea salt
½ tsp ground Aleppo chile
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
2 lb/910 g rutabagas, ends trimmed, peeled, and cut into ½-in/12-mm wedges
One 12-oz/360-ml bottle porter-style beer
1½ cups/360 ml Roasted Root Vegetable Stock or canned low-sodium vegetable broth
2 tsp finely chopped fresh oregano
2 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme

1 In a Dutch oven or other heavy pot, melt the butter with the oil over medium-low heat until the butter is foamy. Add the onion and stir to coat evenly. Cover and cook until the onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is evenly golden brown and caramelized, about 20 minutes.

2 Add the brown sugar, salt, Aleppo pepper, black pepper, and cinnamon and stir constantly until the brown sugar has melted and the spices are aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the rutabagas and stir to coat. Add the beer and stock, pressing down on the vegetables to submerge them. The liquid should just cover the vegetables. If it doesn’t, add more stock or water as needed. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat until the liquid is at a simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Stir in the oregano and thyme, re-cover, and continue to cook until the rutabagas are fork-tender, 5 to 10 minutes more. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the rutabagas and onions to a serving bowl, cover, and keep warm.

3 Increase the heat to high and boil the braising liquid, stirring occasionally, until it reduces to about ¼ cup/60 ml and has thickened to a syrup consistency, 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, return the rutabagas and onion to the pan, and toss to coat in the sauce. Heat until the vegetables are hot and then taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve immediately.

You can meet Diane on her Eat Your Roots Book Tour, details on Diane Morgan Cooks...

(* Recipe from 'Roots, The Definitive Compendium with More Than 225 Recipes' by Diane Morgan -Chronicle Books, September 2012- reprinted with permission of the publisher)