BKM – Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Oh it’s the first one relax, I’ll get more adventurous as my familiarity with the machine builds.  I wanted to try making something that even if I didn’t follow the instructions for the machine, I’d still be able to salvage for dinner.  So Mashed Sweet Potatoes it was.  I followed the cooking instructions in the book – great mashed sweet potatoes.  The machine does everything it says so from a 1 dish meal perspective, you can’t lose.  It was the BKM that did all the prep work for me.

I added some garlic and a Thai chili (or two) to the mixer when doing the mash.  It is a very precise machine that mashes up beautifully, powerful as well.  The basket held about 2 medium potatoes or about 650g.  The water in the jug didn’t take long to boil and the timing was spot on.  So here’s the recipe and some pictures to go with it.

700g Sweet Potatoes (approximately), chopped – the tray won’t hold any more than this so you might have to do it twice if you want a large batch)
2 Thai Chilies
1 clove Garlic (because garlic improves the flavor of just about everything)
65 ml Cream (I used Half and Half – trying to cut back on the fat intake, or use milk)
65 ml Chicken Stock (or water)
30 – 45 ml butter (1/8 cup)
Olive Oil
1 tsp Salt
Pepper to taste
1.5 l Water

Add the chopped potatoes to the cooking basket
Fill the jug with water – it’s the 3rd marking on the jug (from the bottom)
Put the cooking basket in the jug – don’t worry if all the potatoes aren’t covered, there is enough steam to cook everything in there, add the salt – secure the lid in place
Set the temperature to 100, speed 1, set the timer for 20 minutes – check at 18 minutes as the time will vary with the quantity of potatoes you have in your cooking basket
When potatoes are ready (neat – the machine shuts off entirely when the timer runs out)
Using the ladle attachment – clip the cooking basket and lift out of the water
Lift out the jug and empty the water – the jug, not the handle will be hot so please be careful as you have to remove the jug from the unit and it is a “plug in” jug
Empty the potatoes back into the jug, add the cream/milk, butter, olive oil – and set the mixer to 10 seconds at speed 7 – you can add some of the chicken stock at this point if the potatoes are too stiff
Remove the lid, scrape the contents off the side – set the timer to another 10 seconds, speed 7
Check the consistency – I like this smooth so it could take a few seconds more – taste, season with salt/pepper – mix, taste again
Empty the contents into a serving dish

Garnish – Optional 
1 Shallot, chopped
1 clove Garlic, mashed and chopped fine
Olive Oil

Saute the shallot in the olive oil, add the garlic – season with salt/pepper – drizzle some really good quality Balsamic Vinegar or Extra Virgin Olive Oil into the mixture
Pour/spoon the mixture on top of the mashed potatoes and serve
I served this with a Stuffed Pork Chop Parmigiana for dinner – delicious (or so I was told)!