Mashed Butternut Squash & Sweet Potatoes

Well this isn't a recipe so much as me eating crow boiled squash and sweet potatoes, and liking it.  I've long averred that neither is any good when boiled, and I still don't think it is the best technique for cooking these vegetables. On the other hand you don't always want to turn the oven on, especially if  you are just roasting vegetables for one dish. This is a perfectly reasonable alternative.

It's essentially the same technique as with Parsnips & Pears not long ago. After the vegetables are boiled, they are drained and cooked in butter for a short while to drive off a little moisture and to brown them. This gives sweetness and complexity to the flavour and avoids sogginess.

I just seasoned mine with a little nutmeg, but they can be done however you like. I can see this with a balsamic drizzle, as with these Pan Cooked Sweet Potatoes.

flexible servings
45 minutes - 30 minutes prep time

butternut squash
sweet potatoes
unsalted butter
salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
a little nutmeg OR other seasonings to taste

Put a pot of lightly salted water on to boil, sufficient to hold all the vegetables with comfort. 

Peel and de-seed squash, and cut it into chunks not more than 1 1/2" in any direction. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them likewise.

When the water boils, add the squash and cook for 3 or 4 minutes before adding the sweet potatoes. Boil for a further 12 to 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

Drain the vegetables and return them to the stove, with butter added in the proportions of about 2 teaspoons of butter to a cup of vegetables. Mash well, and continue to cook and stir them over medium-high heat. Season with the pepper and any other seasonings you like. They may need some salt, but adjust it after you have tasted the mash. When the mixture is thick and you are smelling caramelized notes from the vegetables, turn them into a serving dish and serve at once.




Last year at this time I made Dutch Slavinken, with which this would go very well.

Posted in: Ontario Food