Mashed Potatoes and Autumn Vegetables
My husband is a purist. He demands that mashed
potatoes are sacred and should be served alone with
lots of butter. I finally managed to get him to see
the light about garlic mashed potatoes and twice baked
potatoes. Personally, the more dressed up mashed
potatoes are the better. I'll throw (and have thrown)
almost anything into mashed potatoes. This is one of
my favorite variations, consisting of whatever was on
sale at the farmer's market on a sunny fall day. Feel
free to omit or substitute any of the ingredients, or
change the proportions to taste. I love making this
with buttery Yukon Gold potatoes or fun purple
potatoes, but use your favorite variety.
1 pound potatoes, peeled and chopped into one inch cubes
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into one inch cubes
4-5 large carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch slices
3 parsnips, peeled and chopped into one inch cubes
1 rutabega, peeled and chopped into one inch cubes
1 celeriac or celery root, peeled and chopped into one inch cubes
1/3 cup heavy cream
6 tablespoons butter
salt
pepper
pinch freshly ground nutmeg
Place all of the vegetables in a large pot and cover
with water. Bring to a boul and cook for about 20-25
minutes, or until the vegetables are very tender.
Drain thoroughly. Return to the pot, or place in a
large bowl. Mash the vegetable mixture with a ricer or
mixer until smooth. Mix in the remaining ingredients
and beat until smooth. Spoon into a serving bowl.
Serve hot.
ROASTED VEGETABLES
We tend to think of grilled vegetables as a summer
delight, but roasting them in the oven works
especially well with the ones considered "winter
vegetables"--in other words, root vegetables. This
recipe serves a large crowd--you can cut it in
half if you want to make it just for the family.
1 pound small new potatoes, quartered
1 bunch fennel, quartered
4 parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch diagonals
4 carrots, cut in diagonals
1 head of garlic, broken into cloves, paper left on
2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1-inch dice
5 tablespoons olive oil
the juice of 1/2 lemon
2 teaspoons sea salt
freshly ground pepper
several pinches of dried rosemary and tarragon
Place all of the vegetables in a large ceramic bowl
and pour over them the olive oil, lemon, and
seasonings. Use your hands to toss and coat them
well. Let them marinate for at least a half hour.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spread the
vegetables in roasting pans or over sheet pans.
Place them in the oven and roast for about 45
minutes, stirring and turning them often to keep
them from sticking. Remove from the oven when they
are tender and browned, and serve them up in a large bowl.
