Dinner Party Recipes: The Side Dishes

Sweet Potato and Carrot Puree

Yield: Far too much for your average dinner party! If serving as a sauce you will need to quarter the recipe. If serving as a mash as equal part potato to sweet potato and carrot to give it a thicker consistency.

Ingredients:

4 large sweet potatoes (approximately 2lb)

1 lb carrots

2 ½ cups of water

1 tbsp of sugar (for fear that you’re not sweet enough already)

12 tbsp of butter (ssshhhhh….what do you mean? it’s a vegetable dish…it is very healthy =D)

1 cup of crème fraiche

½ tsp nutmeg

5lb white potato (optional)

Preparation method:

Clean the potatoes and slice down middle. Place in preheated oven at 200^oC and bake for 1h or until tender.

Peel and chop the carrots. Pace in a saucepan and add the water, sugar, 2 tbsp of butter, salt and pepper.

Place over medium heat and bring to the boil. Cook uncovered until all the liquid boils off and just butter remains. Carrots should be tender. If not add more water and boil it off again.

Scrape out flesh from potatoes and combine with carrots. Add crème fraiche and process/mash until smooth. Add nutmeg and season with salt and pepper.

Glazed Brussel Sprouts with Walnuts

Yield: 4 (Woohoo…the correct quantity of food!!! =D)

Ingredients:

125 ml of water

325g of frozen brussel sprouts (I adore cabbage balls!!)

2 tbsp Butter

100g walnuts

25 g sugar

¼ tsp allspice (plus a little sprinkle…measuring exact amounts reminds me of work..I need to rebel =D)

¼ tsp nutmeg (see brackets above)

Salt for seasoning (optional)

Preparation method:

Cook the brussel sprouts in boiling water until tender. This is where I add the salt. I add a sprinkle to the water before I add the sprouts.  Drain.

In a microwaveable bowl, mix the butter, brown sugar, allspice and nutmeg. Cover and cook on high, stirring once or twice, until the butter is melted and walnuts are warm. Pour over brussel sprouts and serve! Mmmmmm!!

Roasted Irish potato

Ingredients:

As much white potato as you like. I used records. And on average 4 large potatoes which I quartered.

Juices of the meat

Vegetable oil

Salt and pepper

Preparation method:

Cut potatoes to golf ball size. Parboil and fluff up Helena style (steam until slightly tender, place in a bowl and give them a shake).

Add to the baking tin in which the pork fillets are roasting (or whatever meat you are roasting). Add vegetable oil if necessary. Spoon the juice from the meat over each potato. Season with salt and pepper.

Roast until tender and browning.

Remember..The more meat juices the better..It adds great flavor =D