RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Savory Sweet Potato Mash

Easter Sunday is celebrated on March 31, 2024. Easter is a day of spiritual reflection, celebration, and an opportunity to gather with family members for a delicious dinner.

Traditional main courses for Easter include lamb and ham, so home cooks may want to select side dishes that can work with both. Sweet potatoes are a healthy option that also are tasty and nutritious. While some people associate sweet potatoes with the marshmallow-covered dish common around Thanksgiving, they can be sweet or savory, depending on preference. This Savory Sweet Potato Mash recipe makes a delicious side dish worth enjoying. Try it, courtesy of Danielle Walker's Eat What You Love (Ten Speed Press). This recipe serves four to six.

INGREDIENTS:

3lbs. Garnet sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/2 cup almond milk

1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup melted ghee

1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme, plus whole leaves for garnish

DIRECTIONS: Place the sweet potatoes in a large saucepan and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring the potatoes to a boil over high heat, then turn the heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 18 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the heat, drain the water from the pan, then return the potatoes to the pan.

Add the almond milk, salt, and pepper to the potatoes and mash with a potato masher to your desired consistency. Drizzle with the ghee, sprinkle in the chopped thyme, and stir gently until combined. Garnish with thyme leaves and serve warm.

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three days. Reheat in a dry skillet over medium-low heat until heated through, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.