HIMMEL UND ERDE AND NEEPS AND TATTIES (FUSION) Speaking of "fusion" cuisine, we had a chilly evening and a good German wine to open last night, so a German-style dinner seemed in order. With a main course of spareribs and sauerkraut (recipe to follow), a hearty portion of the German tradition, Himmel und Erde, sounded good. But I made it even better, I think, by fusing the Germanic mashed-potato-and-apple dish with the Scottish "neeps and tatties." The combination -- a mashed potato, apple and turnip with light aromatics -- was a delight, and went well with both the main course and the wine. So what do you call a combo of Himmel und Erde and Neeps and Tatties? I wouldn't touch that one with a 10-foot pole. But here's the recipe, enough to make a generous portion for two, with leftovers that should make a great soup with a little chicken broth stirred in: Peel one good-size turnip, cut it into 1/2-inch dice, and simmer them in salted water for 30 minutes. Peel one medium baking potato, cut it into 1-inch chunks, and add them to the same water for the last 20 minutes. Peel and core one tart cooking apple (I used a Granny Smith), quarter it, and add them to the same water for the last 15 minutes. Drain, reserving a little bit of the cooking water, and mash with a fork, whipping in 1 tablespoon butter, salt to taste, 1/2 teaspoon sugar and a dash of freshly grated nutmeg. Add a bit of the reserved cooking water if it's needed to get the mashed veggies to a fluffy consistency. Trust me ... it's good.
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