CREAMY ROOT VEGETABLE MASH (FAST!)
One of my Dad’s favorite food stories to tell is about the time he took the whole young family (me, my three-siblings and my mom) to a phenomenal four-star French restaurant 40 stories up in one of Chicago’s iconic skyscrapers. During the meal, the waiter served my dad an expertly executed rack of lamb, and then made the rounds doing table side service of the chef’s flawless potato puree (or, mashed potatoes). The waiter dolloped a delicate swoop of creamy puree on my dad’s plate, with flair, and this warning: “And don’t you dare ask for more.”
If you have my first book, you’ve already heard this story, but it perfectly exemplifies how my family feels about a creamy mash, completely lump-less, and luxuriating in butter and cream.
But, a flawless mashed potato doesn’t always need to error on total decadence to taste divine. To wit, this Fast Root Vegetable Mash, from my new book INSTANT FAMILY MEALS—it’s part potato, part cauliflower or celery root, and tastes like a Thanksgiving dream. You can use this formula to make the whole thing with pure potatoes, or sub out the cauliflower for any other root vegetables you love (think: parsnips or rutabaga—or even a whole big pot of sweet potatoes!) The key here is that an instant pressure cooker steam cooks those root vegetables, fast—so you have almost instant perfect mash, even on the busiest cooking day of the year.
Happy Thanksgiving, Friends! XO
RECIPE BELOW
CREAMY ROOT VEGETABLE MASH
(IN THE INSTANT POT)
Reprinted with permission from INSTANT FAMILY MEALS
There is almost nothing I love more than mashed potatoes, except the idea of mashed potatoes that don’t weigh you down or come with a food coma. Enter mashed vegetables--fluffy and white, deceptively mashed potato-like, but with a lot more fiber and nutrients. For the fluffiest finish, I like to use a mix of vegetables and potatoes, but once you get the hang of this, you can mix and match to your taste.
The timesaver here is that you can throw in a head of cauliflower or a celery root right in the Instant Pot, and get started right away, while you work on the rest of your meal. If you’re skeptical, know that a little Parmesan, butter, and sea salt go a long way toward making absolutely every vegetable tasty. (Even the most cauliflower-hating pint-sized vegetable sleuth will gobble this down.)
1 small head cauliflower, halved, or 1 small celery root, peeled and halved
2 large russet potatoes, peeled
1 cup filtered water
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, plus for garnish
⅓ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
3 to 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus for serving
¼ 1/4 to ⅓ 1/3 cup milk of choice (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper
Garnish:
⅓ packed up fresh dill, roughly chopped (optional)
Add the cauliflower, potatoes, water, and salt to an electric pressure cooker; you may need to quarter some of the vegetables, depending on the size of your cooker. Lock the lid into place and cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. (The vegetables should be fork tender.)
Release the pressure naturally (or manually) and drain. While hot, mash the vegetables and potatoes with the Parmesan and butter, adding milk to loosen, if desired. (A potato masher will work fine here if you like a chunky mash, or use a ricer for a perfectly creamy, no-lump mash.) Season the mash with salt and pepper.
Serve warm, garnished with flaky sea salt, dill, if desired, and more butter.