Every year a few days before Thanksgiving I get several emails asking for this recipe. Maybe it’s time to publish it!
My favorite dishwasher showing off a small dish of our holiday taters.
Bourbon Sweet Potato Puree with buttered Pecans
Serves 8
6 lbs sweet potatoes (about 6 large)
3 TBL bourbon (I’m a
Maker’s Mark gal – I’ve even got my name on a barrel!)
1 stick unsalted butter, softened (divided)
2 cups pecan halves (about 8 oz) (These I get from Jeffrey, his mother has Pecan trees!)
1 tsp coarse salt
2 TBL packed dark brown sugar
Preheat oven to 425F.
Prick sweet potatoes with a fork and bake on a sheet pan in the middle of the oven until tender, about 1 hour.
When just cool enough to handle, peel potatoes and transfer half to a food processor.
Add bourbon and 6 TBL butter and purée 30 seconds.
Transfer purée to a large bowl.
Purée remaining potatoes in food processoruntil completely smooth and transfer to bowl.
Stir purée until combined well and season with salt and pepper.
Transfer purée to a 2-quart shallow baking dish.
Purée may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.
Bring purée to room temperature before proceeding.
Reduce oven temperature to 325F.
In a shallow baking pan spread pecans in one layer and bake in middle of oven
until fragrant, about 10 minutes.
Toss hot pecans with remaining 2 TBL butter (softened) and coarse salt.
Pecans may be made 2 days ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
Arrange pecans on top of purée and sprinkle with brown sugar.
Bake purée in upper third of oven until heated through and pecans are slightly browned, about 30 minutes.
If you happen to have some
homemade marshmallows,
top your potatoes with them during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
