Mary Berry has suggested vegetable purée as a tastier, creamier alternative to mashed potatoes for roast dinners. The television chef recommends two variations: creamed celeriac and carrot and sweet potato purée.
Why choose vegetable purée?
Berry said: "I love a vegetable purée and it makes a change from mashed potatoes." She noted that while it can take time to remove the hard skin from celeriac, using a small sharp knife is easier than a vegetable peeler.
Her recipe, featured in her book Mary 90: My Very Best Recipes, suggests serving the purées with a roast or alongside fresh broccoli spears. Happy Foodie, which published the recipe, noted: "Choose between creamed celeriac or carrot and sweet potato purée to accompany your next roast - or make both!"
Recipes for both purées
Both variations serve six people and require either a food processor or handheld blender. The dishes are described as straightforward to prepare.
Mary Berry's creamed celeriac recipe
- 1.8kg celeriac, peeled and cut into one-inch pieces
- 200ml full-fat crème fraîche
- Freshly grated nutmeg
Place the celeriac in a saucepan of salted water and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and leave to simmer for approximately 20 to 25 minutes until thoroughly tender, then drain well. Add the cooked celeriac to a food processor with the crème fraîche, nutmeg, salt and ground black pepper, and blitz until completely smooth. Alternatively, a hand-held stick blender can be used by placing all the ingredients into a bowl. Serve immediately while smooth and piping hot. The dish can be prepared the day before and warmed through in a buttered dish, covered with foil, in a hot oven.
Mary Berry's carrot and sweet potato purée recipe
- 650g carrots, sliced
- 650g sweet potato, peeled and chopped into four centimetre cubes
- Generous knob of butter
Place the carrots and sweet potato in a saucepan of salted water and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for roughly 20 minutes until completely tender, then drain well. Return the carrots and sweet potato to the saucepan and blitz to a smooth purée using a handheld stick blender or food processor. Stir through the butter and season to taste, then serve piping hot.
