Mashed potatoes are so common as to be almost disdained. And eating poorly prepared ‘mash’ as a child can put you off for a lifetime. However, creamy, buttery mashed potatoes can be a true delight.
The addition of sweet potato creates a pretty, peachy colour perfect for your harvest table, and additions like mustard, horse radish, cheese, parsnips or celeriac can can help pair your mashed potatoes with whatever you’re serving, a bit of mustard with ham or horse radish with roast beef, for instance.
Check out Ellen’s recipe for Harvest Scalloped Potatoes!
Harvest Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs all-purpose potatoes like Yukon Gold
- 1/2 lb sweet potatoes (parsnips or celeriac)
- 3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and trimmed
- 1 tsp salt for water
- 1 cup light cream
- 1 tsp mustard or horseradish
- 1/2 cup crème fraiche
- salt and pepper to taste
- grated nutmeg to taste (optional)
- 4 tbsp butter
- chopped chives (for garnish)
Instructions
- Peel (or scrub) and quarter Yukon Gold potatoes.
- Peel sweet potatoes and cut into larger pieces than the potatoes (they cook faster). If using peeled chopped parsnips or celeriac, add in a ratio of 1:3 - parsnips to potatoes.
- Put potatoes and garlic into a large pot of salted water and bring to a boil.
- Add sweet potato (parsnip or celeriac) and boil until vegetables can be easily pierced with a fork but not disintegrating or water-logged.
- Remove from the pot and save the garlicky water for soups and gravies.
- Melt butter in the pot and add cream (and to start, mustard or horseradish to taste); heat until warm.
- Put potatoes, sweet potatoes and garlic back into the pot and mash.
- For a smoother mash, rice the vegetables first before stirring into the heated cream and butter. Add crème fraiche, grated cheese if using, and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. A food processor might seem like a good idea, but don’t do it - the results will be gummy and unpalatable.
- Scoop into a baking dish, even the top slightly with the back of the spoon and serve. Or cover well to keep warm in a low oven for up to an hour or so before serving.
- Dot with butter and sprinkle with finely chopped chives to serve.
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