Root Vegetable Hash
Submitted by Gail
Root vegetable hash mashes boiled rutabaga, carrots, and red potatoes with butter for a rustic textured side. A British-style smash with sweet earthy depth and skin-on flecks.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
30 minREADY
50 minMore than mashed potatoes, less than a puree, this rustic British-style root vegetable smash blends sweet rutabaga, tender carrots, and skin-on red potatoes into one comforting side. The skins stay on the potatoes for both color and texture, leaving little flecks throughout the mash that distinguish it from a smooth pomme puree.
The staggered boil is the technique. Rutabagas cook longer than carrots and potatoes, so they go in first for a 5-minute head start. Throwing everything in at once gives you mush in some places and crunch in others.
The pot-shake step deserves attention. After draining, return the vegetables to the dry pot over the heat and shake until you see no more steam coming off. Wet vegetables make a watery mash; dry ones absorb the butter properly and finish creamy.
Season boldly. Root vegetables are sweet and earthy, but they need salt to taste like anything but baby food. Taste as you go, and don’t be shy.
Great alongside a Sunday roast, shepherd’s pie, or a roasted chicken. Holiday tables welcome it as a less-expected alternative to standard mashed potatoes.
Pro Tips
- Buy rutabagas with smooth, firm skin. Soft spots mean woody, fibrous flesh that will not mash properly.
- Mash, do not puree. A potato masher gives the right rustic texture; a food processor turns this into glue.
- Use real butter, not margarine. The flavor is what carries the dish, and there is nowhere for cheap fat to hide.
- Reheat with a splash of warm milk or cream to restore the texture. Microwaving plain dries it out.
Variations
- Add 2 cloves of roasted garlic mashed in with the butter for a deeper savory note.
- Stir in 2 tablespoons of horseradish and a pinch of nutmeg for a Northern English clapshot lean.
- Top with crispy fried shallots or browned breadcrumbs for textural contrast.
Ingredients
Directions
Peel the rutabagas, removing all traces of the thick skin.
Cut them into ½ inch cubes.
Peel the carrots and slice them about ½ inch thick.
Scrub the potatoes well but do not peel them; cut them into pieces about the same size as the rutabagas.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
Add the rutabagas and cook 5 minutes, then add the remaining vegetables and cook until they are soft enough to mash but not mushy, about 15 more minutes.
Drain thoroughly in a colander.
Put the hot vegetables in a clean pot and shake the pot over moderate heat until the vegetables are completely dry.
Remove the pot from the heat, add the butter in small pieces, and mash the vegetables gently with a potato masher; they should be mashed, not pureed.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Transfer to a warm serving bowl.
Garnish with parsley if desired.
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