Recipes From the Root Cellar_ 270 Fresh Ways to Enjoy Winter Vegetables - Andrea Chesman [67]
Smashed Potatoes With Root Vegetables
Serves 4
Colorful roasted root vegetables are blended with ordinary mashed potatoes to make a pretty terrific dish. Make sure at least some of the root vegetables (carrots, red or golden beets, rutabagas) are other than white (celery root, parsnips, salsify, turnips) or you will lose half the appeal of this dish. Serve it any time you would serve ordinary mashed potatoes.
6 cups peeled and cubed mixed root vegetables (beets, carrots, celery root, parsnips, rutabaga, salsify, and/or turnips)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3–4 medium russet (baking) potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1/3 cup milk or cream, plus more as needed
2 tablespoons butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Preheat the oven to 450°F. Lightly oil a large sheet pan (preferred) or large shallow roasting pan.
2 Mound the mixed root vegetables on the sheet pan, drizzle the oil over them, and toss gently to coat. Spread in a single layer. Roast for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly browned.
3 Meanwhile, combine the potatoes and garlic in a medium saucepan and cover with cold salted water. Bring the water to a boil and boil until the potatoes are very tender, about 20 minutes.
4 Heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan over low heat and keep warm.
5 Drain the potatoes and garlic, return to the saucepan, add the milk mixture, and mash until smooth. Add the root vegetables and mash briefly, until about half the vegetables are broken down but not puréed. Season with salt and pepper, adding more milk if the mixture seems dry. Serve hot.
Samosas
Makes 18
Indian samosas are traditionally made with a flaky pastry and fried. In this easier version, the potatoes are encased in store-bought puff pastry and baked. If you happen to have about 1½ cups leftover mashed potatoes, you can use that instead of cooking the potatoes from scratch.
¾ pound (1 large or 2–3 small) thin-skinned potatoes
¼ cup sunflower or canola oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1½ inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely minced
¼ cup chopped fresh or canned green chilis
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (17-ounce) package frozen puff pastry, defrosted
1 egg, lightly beaten
Chutney, such as Major Grey’s, for serving
1 To make the filling, cover the potatoes with water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, and boil until tender, about 15 minutes. Let cool, then peel and cut into ¼-inch dice.
2 Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until slightly colored, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, chilis, garam masala, and cumin, and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the potatoes and stir until well coated with the spices. Add the peas and the cilantro, if using. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté over low heat until the flavors have blended, about 5 minutes.
3 Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
4 Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Roll out one sheet of the puff pastry to a 12-inch square, about 1/8 inch thick. Using a pizza cutter or a knife, cut the dough into nine equal squares.
5 Place a tablespoon of the potato mixture in the corner of a square. Lift the opposite diagonal corner over to seal the triangular package, pinching the edges together. Continue in the same manner for the rest of the squares. Repeat with the remaining pastry sheet and filling. Arrange the samosas on the baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Brush the tops of the samosas with the beaten egg.
6 Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. Serve warm with chutney.
Kitchen Note: Samosas