Warning: Under no circumstances attempt to blend regular potatoes in a blender or processor. You will end up with a gummy wallpaper paste mess. It is bad enough that one of us had to do this. Use a masher, potato ricer or a food mill.
1kg sweet potatoes / yams / Jerusalem artichokes / 750g carrots 250g turnips / 500g pumpkin 500g butternut squash
¼ cup cream
2 cloves crushed / grated garlic
2 tbsp butter
Salt and pepper
- Peel and cube the vegetables
- Boil in water until tender
- Mash with the cream and butter for a rustic puree or blend for a smooth puree
- Season well
Possible variations on the theme:
- Consider adding coconut milk instead of cream to the sweet potato puree
- Or topping with pecans
- Or a drizzle of maple syrup
- Add a teaspoon of coriander to the carrot and turnip puree
- Or sprinkle fresh coriander over the carrot and turnip puree before serving
- Top the yam puree with mini marshmallows and sear under a hot grill for a minute until toasted (use a blowtorch if you’ve got one – and if you do I suggest blowtorching at the table for added drama).
- Add a tablespoon of orange juice with the cream and the zest of half an orange to the pumpkin butternut squash puree.
- Spritz the Jerusalem artichoke puree with lemon to liven it up before serving. Top with fresh parsley.
- Consider roasting the pumpkin and butternut squash at 400 for 20-25 minutes rather than boiling.
This recipe originally appeared in a discussion of traditional family specialities.