Mash it up! 6 delicious potato-alternative recipes

Move over, potato – carrots and beetroot are getting their mash on too! we’ve smashed, blitzed and blended some pretty original combinations, so go on and give them a try…

RECIPES AND STYLING BY NOMVUSELELO MNCUBE
PHOTOGRAPHS BY ANNALIZE NEL

MASHED PEAS WITH AVOCADO, MINT AND THYME

Serves: 8
Difficulty level: Easy
Time: 20 – 30 mins

INGREDIENTS:

500ml (2 cups) vegetable stock
500g frozen peas
1 avocado
small handful chopped mint leaves
small handful thyme leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD:

Place a pot over medium heat and pour in vegetable stock. Add frozen peas and cook, 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool, 5 minutes. Using a potato masher, mash the peas avocado flesh, and add a small handful chopped mint leaves and a small handful thyme leaves. Stir to combine all of the ingredients. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

MASHED CARROT WITH BUTTER, DILL AND PARSLEY

Serves: 6 – 8
Difficulty level: Easy
Time:50 mins

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups (750ml) vegetable stock
1kg carrots
100g butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper
small handful of chopped dill
small handful parsley.

METHOD:

Boil vegetable stock and carrots in a large pot over medium heat, about 30 – 40 minutes, or until a knife can easily be inserted and removed from the carrots. Drain the stock and return the carrots to the pot. Add butter and with a stick blender, blitz until smooth. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add a small handful of chopped dill and a small handful parsley.

MASHED BEETROOT WITH CREAM AND ROSEMARY

Serves: 10
Difficulty level: Easy
Time: 3 hrs 30 mins

INGREDIENTS:

1kg beetroot
60ml (¼ cup) fresh cream
3 chopped rosemary sprigs
salt and freshly ground black pepper.

METHOD:

Rinse beetroot and put it into a large pot. Cover the beetroot with water and place the pot over medium heat. Cook the beetroot, 3 hours, or until tender. Remove from heat, drain the water and rinse in cold water. Peel the beetroots, discarding the skin. In a blender, blitz the peeled beetroot and fresh cream until smooth and creamy. Add 3 chopped rosemary sprigs and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

CAULIFLOWER, PARMESAN AND CREAM MASH

Serves: 4
Difficulty level: Easy
Time: 40 mins

INGREDIENTS:

500ml (2 cups) chicken stock
600g chopped cauliflower
100g finely grated Parmesan or Grana Padano
100ml fresh cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD:

Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat and add chicken stock and chopped cauliflower. Cover the saucepan with a lid and cook, 20 minutes. Remove from heat and drain in a colander. Put the cauliflower in a big bowl and mash it up with a potato masher. Add finely grated Parmesan or Grana Padano and fresh cream. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

SMOKY MASHED POTATOES WITH CRISPY PROSCIUTTO AND CREAM

Serves: 10
Difficulty level: Easy
Time: 50 mins

INGREDIENTS:

1kg peeled and cubed potatoes
100g butter
15ml (1 tbsp) hickory liquid smoke extract
250ml (1 cup) fresh cream
250ml (1 cup) milk
5ml (1 tsp) olive oil
200g chopped prosciutto
salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add peeled and cubed potatoes and cook until tender, about 30 minutes, then drain. Add butter, hickory liquid smoke extract, fresh cream and milk. With a potato masher, mash until the consistency is smooth and creamy. Add more milk if too thick. Place a pan over medium-high heat with olive oil and fry chopped prosciutto until browned, about 5 minutes. Mix in with the mashed potatoes and leave extra to serve. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

ORANGE SWEET POTATOES MASHED WITH CINNAMON AND LEMON ZEST

Serves: 4
Difficulty level: Easy
Time: 40 – 50 mins

INGREDIENTS:

1kg peeled and cubed orange sweet potatoes
10ml (2 tsp) ground cinnamon
zest of 1 lemon
salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add sweet potatoes and cook until tender, about 20 – 30 minutes. Mash the sweet potatoes with a potato masher. Add ground cinnamon and lemon zest. Serve warm. (If orange sweet potato is not available, substitute with regular sweet potato.) Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.