Description
Mashed Carrots with potatoes, with toasted pecans and a whisper of nutmeg – a delicious addition to your holiday table.
Ingredients
- 1 lb carrots, scrubbed, sliced into thin, 1/4 inch disks
- 1 lb thin-skinned potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick ( feel free to sub more carrots or parsnips)
- optional: 1 cinnamon stick
- ——-
- 1/2 cup broth (veggie or chicken), or sub milk.
- 2–3 tablespoons butter or ghee
- 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- optional: 1/4 cup sour cream, heavy cream or creme fraiche
Pecan Topping:
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- 1–2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Scrub the carrots and slice them into 1/4-inch thin disks. No need to peel. (Don’t cut any thicker or they will cook slower than the potatoes.) Place them in a large pot covered with 3 inches of water. Bring to a boil, cover, then simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the sliced potatoes (no need to peel if using thin-skinned) and optional cinnamon stick- to the same pot, bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on low until both carrots and potatoes are very tender about 10-15 more minutes.
- While cooking, make the pecan topping: Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the pecans, toasting them lightly while letting the butter brown just lightly until golden and fragrant. Set aside.
- Drain the potatoes and carrots and return them to the pot, removing the cinnamon stick. Mash them with a potato masher, adding the broth and butter, then whip them a bit with the masher, add salt, garlic powder, nutmeg and white pepper, and optional sour cream.
- Taste and adjust salt. Add more broth to loosen if you like.
- Place into a serving dish, or baking dish and with the back of a spoon, make a “well” or valley – this is where you will pour the toasted nuts and brown butter.
- Serve immediately or keep warm in the oven, covered with foil.
Notes
The success of the recipe really depends on getting those carrots cooked nice and tender, so cut them thinly and cook them a little before adding the potatoes to the pot.
For a smoother look, you could cook the carrots separately, puree them then add the carrot puree to the mashed potatoes. ( FYI: pureeing soft potatoes will make them gummy. Don’t do this!)
Feel free to add more carrots and less potatoes. Feel free to sub parsnips for the potatoes ( which will take the same amount of time to cook as the carrots)
You may also make the whole thing ahead (up to two days) and refrigerate it. Make sure to take it out of the fridge 45 minutes before reheating to allow it to come to room temp. Reheat covered with foil at 350-375F until hot, about 25-30 minutes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ½ cup
- Calories: 181
- Sugar: 4.6 g
- Sodium: 453.1 mg
- Fat: 10.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 4.4 g
- Protein: 2.5 g
- Cholesterol: 20.4 mg