Golden Potato Root Mash

By Cait Johnson, with thanks to Richard Cambridge, poet and bon vivant, for his recipe.

Let’s go back to our roots for better taste—and more vital health! I can’t imagine forgoing the pleasure of creamy mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving, but it’s healthier to avoid eating so many white foods. Add a few golden root veggies to the traditional mash, though, use heart-healthy olive oil instead of butter, and add immune-boosting garlic, and the resulting dish is not only better for us, it has a wonderfully sweet taste that really satisfies. Even my son, Mr. I Hate Mashed Potatoes, was completely won over by the robust flavor of this healthier golden mash.

INGREDIENTS

3 cups scrubbed, diced white potatoes
1 cup peeled, diced sweet potato or yam
1 carrot, scrubbed and diced
1 small turnip, scrubbed and diced
1/2 rutabaga, peeled and diced
1 parsnip, scrubbed and diced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium white or yellow onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 shallot, minced
1/2 to 1 cup milk, half-and-half, or soymilk
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Place white and sweet potatoes, carrot, turnip, rutabaga, and parsnip in a large pot of boiling salted water and cook until very tender, around 30 to 40 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat and add onion, cooking around 10 to 15 minutes until it begins to brown and caramelize. Add garlic and shallot and continue cooking a few minutes until fragrant and softened.

3. Drain the potato mixture, return it to the pot, and smash with a potato masher, adding milk gradually until it reaches the desired consistency. Stir in the sautéed onion mixture with oil, add salt and pepper to taste, and serve hot.

Serves 4 to 6.

This mash keeps beautifully in the fridge for a few days—we shaped the leftovers into patties and fried them for brunch.

HELPFUL HINTS:  Go to our archives for more tempting side dish recipes.