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Sweet Potato Mash with Cinnamon and Cream

Mashed sweet potatoes are nice with roast chicken, turkey or other classic holiday dishes. The cinnamon used in the following recipe adds some festive feeling and warmth and you can also add some ground cloves or nutmeg for more spice. Use the cloves or the nutmeg - not both. Sweet potatoes are, as the name suggests, naturally sweet, so the following recipe does not call for marshmallows like some mashed sweet potato recipes do. The creamy, buttery flavor comes from the cream and butter and the potatoes have plenty of flavor themselves. Use medium sized sweet potatoes for this recipe.

A potato masher is obviously the best utensil for mashing the potatoes but if you do not have one you can use a fork or even a blender or food processor. A masher will leave the occasional tiny lump and keep the consistency of the mash nice. Overdoing it with a food processor or blender means you will get more of a puree, so if you want to use one of these use the pulse setting so you do not over-mash the mixture.

Use quite salty water for boiling the sweet potatoes. The water should taste like seawater. The saltiness brings out the potato flavor and also contrasts well with the sweetness, giving you a savory dish with a sweet flavor. You can also use sweet potatoes to make sweet potato pie and other dessert recipes but this recipe is meant to be served as a savory side dish so using salt keeps it savory rather than dessert-like.

The Best Mashed Sweet Potatoes Recipe

Ingredients -

6 sweet potatoes
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup heavy cream
½ stick butter
Pinch of nutmeg or ground cloves (optional)
Salt, to taste

Preparation:

Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them in lengthwise halves.

Cut each half into quarters so each potato is in 8 pieces.

Add the chopped potatoes to a pot of boiling salty water.

Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook the potatoes for about 15 minutes or until they are tender enough to pierce with a knife.

Drain them and put them back in the pot.

Mash them with the cream, butter, and spices.

Taste the potatoes and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve immediately.

(Serves 6)

Wine Suggestion:

Which Wine Goes with Sweet Potato Mash

A medium-bodied, sweetish wine is your best option for sweet potato mash, so go for a Riesling or Muscat. Sweet potatoes are usually served alongside a light meat such as turkey or chicken so avoid anything too heavy, which would overpower the flavors of such a meal and stick with a medium white wine with a semisweet finish.

Sweet Potato Mash

Photo Description:

Sweet potato mash can be made in different ways. Some recipes call for marshmallows to make the mash even sweeter but keeping it simple by adding cream, butter and a pinch of spice is also a good idea because this recipe preserves the natural sweet potato flavor without overdoing the sweetness. Homemade mashed sweet potatoes are wonderful and they are an easy but very special dish. Serve this festive treat with roast turkey and green vegetables, like in the photo, or alongside your favorite meat.