Purple potatoes

I have been cooking a looooooong time. At least 40 years...most of the time with reasonable success. Many have eaten my food and gone on to lead relatively normal lives. Sometimes, though, I manage to suprise myself, as happened last night.

We have friends who live close to Angel Fire. They have 18 acres and an amazing vegetable garden. John went out there last week to rotate his tires ( they have an hydrolic lift and that made things a lot easier ) and afterward Tom took John over to the vegetable garden for a few gifts. Fresh dill and cilantro ( which tastes like Ivory Soap to me ) fresh lettuce, turnips and an enormous head of red cabbage.

The only way I have ever had red cabbage is as sauerkraut and not knowing how to make that, I decided on corned beef and cabbage. I mean, how different could it taste ? Still cabbage, right? Well....

It did taste ok but it also dyed the potatoes, onions and, to a lesser degree the carrots, a funky purple. Purple is not the color you want potatoes. At least I dont.

I really do appreciate the kindness and am grateful for such lovely friends. I still dont have a clue what to do with the turnips and I dont think I have ever tasted one. After the cabbage experience ( did I mention the tops of the turnips are purple too??) I think I will gently toss them and just thank our friends profusely when next I see them....and stick to green cabbage.