mashed root vegetables

[amccomb]

I'm branching out. Instead of mashed potatoes, I would like to try mashing some other root veggies. I see all sorts of recipes for them, from celery root to parsnips to turnips to sweet potatoes to carrots....so many that I feel a little lost. What are some good combinations? Any tips for making them absolutely silky? Should I add anything to them? Butter and cream, like for potatoes? Chicken stock?

Help me break new ground!

[winesonoma]

Rutabagas or Parsnips with potato. Yum, Lots of butter and rare roast beef. Blew my mother away with that one.

[FoodMan]

parsnip/pear with cream

Sweet potato, orange zest, butter, milk and brown sugar

Sweet potato, butternut squash, butter, milk. this could be sweet or not. I like it with pure maple syrup mixed in though.

Elie

[lovebenton0]

Sweet potatoes and/or orange flesh squash (butternut/acorn . . .), butter a bit of cinnamon and/or ginger, brown sugar (the maple syrup Elie suggests is wonderful also). To silk it up a bit either dash of cream or OJ.

[Jason Perlow]

Celeriac and Kohlrabi are good.

[ludja]

two favorites:

celery root and potato puree, with cream, butter, s&p

jerusalem artichoke (sunchoke) puree with cream, butter, s&p

[docsconz]

jerusalem artichoke (sunchoke) puree with cream, butter, s&p

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How would you prepare the jerusalem artichokes? Boil them until fork tender then rice them?

[therese]

How would you prepare the jerusalem artichokes? Boil them until fork tender then rice them?

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I steam them until very soft. No need to peel them, just wash them well.

I puree them, as I like a fairly velvety texture, but ricing would likely work if you don't mind possibly noticing little bits of peel.

I also like to combine parsnips and potatoes, and find that nutmeg (just a little) is very nice (along with whatever else you'd like to use----cheddar cheese goes nicely with the nutmeg).

[ludja]

jerusalem artichoke (sunchoke) puree with cream, butter, s&p

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How would you prepare the jerusalem artichokes? Boil them until fork tender then rice them?

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yup, ~ 20-30 min depending on size.

also, sometimes I add potato to the puree (jerusalem artichoke: potato, 2:1, w/w)

silly trivia: I tasted this dish first at a cooking class/demo by Ron Siegel (of Iron Chef fame).

Edited November 8, 2004 by ludja (log)

[docsconz]

jerusalem artichoke (sunchoke) puree with cream, butter, s&p

←

How would you prepare the jerusalem artichokes? Boil them until fork tender then rice them?

←

yup, ~ 20-30 min depending on size.

also, sometimes I add potato to the puree (jerusalem artichoke: potato, 2:1, w/w)

silly trivia: I tasted this dish first at a cooking class/demo by Ron Siegel (of Iron Chef fame).

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Sounds good. I'll have to try it. Thanks.

[boulak]

Potato and turnip soup with a ratio of 2:1. Finish with cream. Yum.

[M. Lucia]

beet and apple

turnip and chestnut

The Silver Palate Cookbook has lots of good ideas: sweet pea and mint, carrot, etc.

[Abra]

This is addictively delicious.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Rutabaga-Sweet Potato Puree

Recipe By :

Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ --------------------------------

1 1/2 lbs rutabaga -- peeled and diced

1 lb sweet potatoes -- peeled and diced

1 cup apple juice

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

salt to taste

Place all in pressure cooker, cook at high pressure for 8 minutes. Release naturally or quick release. Puree with immersion blender and serve.

Source:

"Great Vegetarian Cooking Under Pressure"

[Behemoth]

I like to steam rather than boil them, that way they don't get waterlogged. (Especially turnips & rutabega.) I love celeriac and potatoes together. Buttermilk makes a great mashing liquid.

[Majra]

Carrots and turnips (1:1 ratio) mashed together with butter, s&p. So delicious.

[lambfries]

jerusalem artichoke (sunchoke) puree with cream, butter, s&p

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How would you prepare the jerusalem artichokes? Boil them until fork tender then rice them?

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I just roast 'em til tender. They tend to be a little sweeter that way.

[fryguy]

I had a fennel root & celeriac puree at an ACF function last month. It was to die for. Both the fennel & celeriac were braised in butter first, rather than steamed or boiled, so the texture was amazing. I'll have to pick up the recipe and post it.

[robyn]

Here's the recipe I'm making for Thanksgiving:

1 1/2 cups each of peeled and coarse diced carrots, turnips and rutabagas; 2 cups of peeled and coarse diced parsnips; and 1 medium sweet potato peeled and coarse diced. Don't worry if your proportions are somewhat different.

Bring a lot of water to a boil; add the vegetables and cook until tender (about 30-40 minutes). Drain. Puree the vegetables in a food processor until smooth. Add butter, heavy cream, brown sugar and salt and pepper to taste. I usually use about 1/2 stick of butter, 3 tablespoons of cream, and 3 tablespoons of brown sugar - but it's a taste and texture thing - make it the way you like it. Process a bit more until smooth.

This recipe can be made in advance and refrigerated. It can be reheated in a 350 degree oven or the microwave. I've made it many times before - and it's yummy.

Robyn

[John Braise]

Re: the texture thing

If you mush the mashed potatoes (or I suppose anything else) through a mesh strainer with a spatula once or twice, they get crazy smooth. It's almost like they become something else. Of course, a lot of butter/cream helps with the lubricity . I thought they would get pasty, but the mesh must incorporate enough air to keep things lovely.

I'd imagine this would work especially well for transforming the more fibrous root veggies into a smooth product.

[robyn]

Re: the texture thing

If you mush the mashed potatoes (or I suppose anything else) through a mesh strainer with a spatula once or twice, they get crazy smooth. It's almost like they become something else. Of course, a lot of butter/cream helps with the lubricity . I thought they would get pasty, but the mesh must incorporate enough air to keep things lovely.

I'd imagine this would work especially well for transforming the more fibrous root veggies into a smooth product.

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I find that regular potatoes get gummy in a food processor - so I usually use a potato ricer. With the particular recipe I posted - since there aren't any regular potatoes - the food processor works just fine (and you need the oomph to break down the fibers in things like sweet potatoes). Sometimes - I'll put the mixture through the ricer - and then into the food processor if the texture isn't smooth enough. Kind of depends what mood I'm in . Robyn

[rosebud]

Equal parts parsnips and carrots. I peel, slice and boil them til done. Then pass them through the food mill (medium grate). Butter, S&P, a little fresh nutmeg and you're done.

[Mottmott]

parsnip/pear with cream

Elie

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Proportions on the parsnip/pear/cream? Sounds tempting.

[hot.chef]

I'm branching out.  Instead of mashed potatoes, I would like to try mashing some other root veggies.  I see all sorts of recipes for them, from celery root to parsnips to turnips to sweet potatoes to carrots....so many that I feel a little lost.  What are some good combinations?  Any tips for making them absolutely silky?  Should I add anything to them?  Butter and cream, like for potatoes?  Chicken stock? 

Help me break new ground!

←

Parsnips and Acorn or Butternut squash. Cut the squash in half, butter them and roast them. Peel and boil the parsnips. Heat cream until you get a bit of movement on top, add really good whole butter. (un-salted Lurpak is a good one).

For really silky rice the parsnips and squash first. Then add the cream slowly while whisking. Season with Sea Salt, fresh pepper and just chopped flat leaf parsley. Devour with a friend.

hot.chef

[Redsugar]

A savory example of the kind of dish you can create for yourself would be to cook a combination of carrots, rutabagas, and sweet potatoes in a very little clarified butter, in a pan covered with a tightly fitted cover. Toss well in the butter and season with salt. Cook slowly for approx. 25 minutes. Add no water or stock – just let them cook in their own steam – then purée and serve dusted with finely chopped herbs.

Lime oil is interesting in mashed potatoes. Star anise can be appealing with some root vegetables.

I have made cream of celeriac soup – and cream of rutabaga soup (includes butter, leeks, chicken stock, cream, and maple syrup).

Here’s a suitable griddle bread to serve with roast pork:

Jerusalem Artichoke & Sweet Potato Pancakes

Mix together: 2½ cups peeled, grated artichokes (drained from acidulated water); 1½ cups peeled, grated sweet potatoes; 1 cup diced onion; 3 Tbsp minced parsely; 1 tsp EACH caraway seeds & paprika; ¼ cup flour.

Add 2 lightly beaten eggs, salt & pepper, to taste.

Fry 2-3 minutes per side. Serve with sour cream & thick, spicy apple sauce.

[SobaAddict70]

parsnip/pear with cream

Elie

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Proportions on the parsnip/pear/cream? Sounds tempting.

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I can't answer for Elie, but usually one or two pears is just about right. You don't want the pear flavor to be pronounced, but a bit subtle. A similar recipe in Chez Panisse Vegetables gives perhaps 4 or 5 sweet potatoes to 1 pear and about 1 1/2 cups combination half and half and/or light cream.

Soba