Glacéed Swede Recipe

Felicity Vincent
Nov 30, 2024
4 min read

Looking for a tasty new swede recipe?

Try this recipe for tender swede coated in an orange and rosemary glaze.

This simple swede recipe is the perfect way to add a twist to festive meals or a Sunday roast. It's the perfect side for fish or meat, with a perfect balance of sweet and mustardy bitterness.

Ingredients (serves 2):

Glacé Swede Recipe:

1 swede
150mL orange juice
300mL water
1 tsp honey
1 rosemary sprig
20g salted butter
pinch of salt

Method:

Peel the swede with a potato peeler and go over the top bit a few times.
Cut into inch-sized slices, then sticks and finely into cubes.
Measure out the glaze ingredients into a shallow pan: orange juice, water, honey, pinch of salt and rosemary sprig.
Add the cubed swede to the pan and place over a medium heat.
Bring to a simmer, then cover and leave for 20 minutes on a low heat. Check it from time to time to make sure the water hasn't fully evaporated, if so add another 50mL.
After 20 minutes, check the swede with the tip of a knife to make sure it is tender enough, it should be easy to insert. If it needs longer, add more water and keep covered until cooked. If it's ready, remove the lid, finish reducing the liquid if necessary. It's ready when it coats the swede easily in a glossy thick glaze.
Serve as a beautiful side and bon appétit!

More about this swede recipe:

Shortcuts:

Use this same recipe for carrots, turnips, tenderstem broccoli or radishes. The smaller the size, the faster it cooks.
You can also easily switch up the juice or aromatics, cumin seeds work well instead of rosemary, or replace orange for apple juice.

Keys to success:

Test the veg once the water has reduced down to a glaze. If the tip of a knife can easily be inserted, it is ready to be served while it's hot. If not, add more water and cover again to reduce back down.

Health benefits of swedes:

They're a good source of:

pro-vitamin A which supports the immune system, and helps to maintain healthy vision and skin;
vitamin B7 (biotin) which supports cell health and is needed to transform food into energy;
vitamin B9 (folate) which supports the formation of red blood cells and the production of serotonin;
vitamin C which acts as a water-soluble antioxidant, protects cells, enables wound healing and helps maintain healthy skin, bones, cartilage and blood vessels;
soluble fibre which helps lower blood cholesterol, and slows the release of energy from food, managing blood sugar levels. It also helps bulk stools with water and serves as a prebiotic, meaning it feeds our gut bacteria for a healthy microbiome which has its own multitude of health benefits;
insoluble fibre - helps to make you feel full, and soften stools for better digestive health. It is also associated with phenolic compounds and therefore antioxidant properties.

Swedes also contain other beneficial compounds such as carotenoids, flavonoids and glucosinolates (broken down when cut/cooked/digested into other beneficial compounds) which act as anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatories to protect against cancer and chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer's).

Apigenin (flavonoid) - reduces the amount of free radicals in the body, it was shown to induce certain cancer cell death including prostate and colorectal; it was notably found to have anxiolytic properties, and in animal studies it was linked with hormonal activity by increasing the production of noradrenaline, stimulating the uptake of L-tyrosine (important for production of dopamine) and reversing stress-induced increase in cortisol. It is being studied as a treatment for depression and initial clinical trials show positive results in reducing insomnia, lowering anxiety, reducing depression and improving cognitive performance in Alzheimer's patients;
Glucoraphanin (a product of the breakdown of glucosinolates) - in high levels, glucoraphanin can reduce plasma LDL levels (so called 'bad' cholesterol) but it is broken down to sulforaphane either during chewing or by out gut microbiome.
Sulforaphane (a product of the breakdown of glucoraphanin) - improves our body's detoxification pathways, making it easier to excrete toxins and carcinogens such as cigarette smoke and pollutants. It has bactericidal properties towards some harmful bacteria, helping our good bacteria thrive. Finally, it has been linked to a reduced risk of cancer, most likely due to promoting cell death (apoptosis) and regulating cell proliferation. Early animal studies also indicate that it may play a role in kidney health.
Indole-3-carbinol (a product of the breakdown of glucosinolates) - another cancer preventive compound, it also improves oestrogen metabolism, helping to balance our hormone levels!
Carotenoids - all have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, they are excellent free radical scavengers playing a part in protecting body and cells from age-related diseases. Studies suggest that they may reduce cognitive decline, alleviate brain fog and decrease the risk of incidence of Alzheimer's disease.
Beta-carotene (carotenoid) - converted to vitamin A to support eye health, skin health, and the immune system. It accumulates under the skin, protecting us from UV rays and potentially reducing the risk of skin cancer. Vitamin A is also required, in part, for the formation of keratin to support teeth health. Beta carotene has also been suggested to have protective effects on our liver.
Lutein (carotenoid) - has been proven to support eye health. It may slow down the effects of age-related vision loss and cataracts.

Mood Food - Happy:

Vitamin C - is involved in converting dopamine to noradrenaline, one of our good mood hormones associated with 'runner's high'.

Folate - is linked to levels of serotonin, our good mood hormone associated to a feeling of serenity; not having enough folate therefore increases the chance of feeling depressed.

Apigenin - has been found to lower anxiety and insomnia in early studies.

Hopefully this makes you excited to try this and many other swede recipes during their season!

You can find lots of ideas on how to cook with swedes in my newsletter: https://felicityvincent.substack.com/

Video:

Cook along with this step-by-step video and learn how to make glazed swede recipe:

Photos: