Savory Sides – Roasted Root Vegetable Pureé
Yet another savory side that I frequently make by the gross. It’s great if you are sick of the same ol’ mashed potatoes. This recipe is delicious and uses absolutely no butter. NO BUTTER, you say? I know, blasphemous. I would love to slather a few sticks of golden glory all over this glowing orange bowl of ill-gotten tubers, but the truth is that it doesn’t really need it, especially when my best friend pint o’ sour cream is available.
So, this is a pureé people and not a whip or a mash. Feel free to whip it or mash it up all you want to the desired consistency. If you like chunky, mash it. If you like it soft and fluffy, whip it. If you want a paste-like gluey mess of gloppy gelatinous goodness, then pureé away. Unfortunately, pureéing potatoes is usually frowned upon in the culinary world. The fast violent assault that a food processor puts on to potatoes, especially those that are boiled, is actually so aggressive that it tears the walls of the starch granules, releasing starches into the food. Some people like this [me], but most do not. This is why roasting the vegetables instead of boiling will help to keep the consistency right. The starch granules are not swelled as much so the starches have a lower chance of tearing. It’s the best of both worlds.
Roasted Root Vegetable Pureé
- 5 pounds of yukon gold potatoes, peeled, washed, and diced
- 8 carrots, skinned and diced
- 10 cloves of garlic, pressed and minced
- 8 shallots, chopped
- 1 rutabaga, peeled, washed, and diced
- 2 sweet potatoes, peeled, washed, and diced
- 1 pint of sour cream
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Prepare all vegetables as defined in the ingredients list. Preheat oven to 375°. Place all prepared vegetables in a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes or until all vegetables are soft. Boiling vegetables in salted water will also work, but you will increase the chance of tearing the starches as stated above.
In a sauteé pan, heat oil on medium/high. Add garlic and shallots and cook until the garlic just begins to brown and the shallots are soft.
In a food processor, begin to pureé ingredients in batches, mixing in sour cream and shallot-garlic mixture evenly. Season with salt and pepper as needed, mix well, and serve hot. Your pureé will store in the fridge in an air tight container and will begin to change consistency. Over time it will harden to an almost ice cream-like consistency and can be easily scooped out in small amounts. As it is heated, it will melt down back into a pureé.
Roasted Root Vegetable Pureé
