The other day I wrote a recipe for a stew that used the water of boiled sweet potatoes to make the stock. That water came from a mash recipe.
This here recipe, is THAT mash.
I made this mash last week whilst deep in the throes of woe. I was hungover to a point of perhaps needing an epidural and all I wanted was a bowl of mashed potatoes.
With breadcrumbs, cheese and butter. That’s all I wanted
Sober me a few days ago was not smart enough to get some potatoes in but I did have one big ass sweet potato in my fridge that was desperate for attention.
Cut to me hungover in bed eating mashed potato straight from the foil tin I made them in. Regretting NOTHING.
So yes this recipe does have a beginning a middle and an end and they all intertwine because I would thoroughly recommend using the boiling water and any leftover mash you have to make my Leek & Parsnip Stew with Sweet Potato & Pea Dumplings.
I like happy miracles like this. It makes the hangover worth it. Kind of. The drunk texts can never be excused or forgiven. Sorry mash.
Bring a big pan of water to the boil and while it comes to this point, peel a big sweet potato (or a handful of small ones) and chop them to chunks of roughly the same size.
Preheat the oven to 200c.
Add a generous pinch of sea salt (but not too much if you intend on using the water for stock) to the water and three cloves of garlic (still in their purple skins).
Add the sweet potato, bring the water back to the boil and then lower it to a simmer.
Allow the potatoes to simmer for about 15 minutes until they soften and can be prodded with a fork and the fork will make some visible cuts in the flesh.
Drain the sweet potato and garlic cloves – reserving the water if again, you’re keeping it for stock (see here… you won’t regret it) and allow the potatoes and garlic to sit a colander for a short while.
Now carefully pinch the garlic cloves and remove the garlic from their skins. Empty the sweet potatoes and naked garlic cloves back into the empty pan you boiled them in.
Add a tiny splash of the potato water, double cream and butter and crush the sweet potatoes and garlic to a big, bright orange mash. Keep going, stirring in between a few mashed to get it as creamy as you like.
Now spoon this mash into a small roasting tin. I use a foil one just because it’s easier and happen to be the right size.
In a small bowl, toss together half a cup of stale breadcrumbs with some salt, pepper, a teaspoon of cumin and a generous snowy fistful of Parmesan cheese.
Scatter this mix on top of the mash and then slip in the oven to bake for about 10-15 minutes.
Eat hungover in bed straight from the tin. Don’t burn your hands.
MIKEY BELL 