Puree of Potato and Celeriac with Garlic

This is a beautiful combination of flavours and perfect, as all purées are, for serving with braised dishes that have lots of sauce. Because you don't want to be mashing potatoes at the point when your guests are just arriving, we tested this, making it a couple of hours in advance and keeping it warm. There were no ill-effects whatsoever.

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This recipe is taken from Delia Smith’s Christmas.

Method

First tackle the celeriac. You will need to have a bowl of cold water ready in which to put the prepared pieces to prevent them browning. Peel the celeriac thickly with a knife. Then cut into approximately ¾ inch (2 cm) cubes. Leave these pieces in the water whilst preparing the potatoes. Peel and cut these into 1 inch (2.5 cm) cubes – ie slightly larger than the celeriac.

Now place the prepared vegetables in separate saucepans with 1 clove garlic to each saucepan. Pour enough boiling water over the vegetables just to cover them, add salt and simmer them for about 10 minutes or until they are tender. Drain each vegetable in a colander, place them together in a large heatproof mixing bowl and add the butter and cream or crème fraîche and some freshly milled black pepper. Next, using an electric hand whisk, whisk them to a purée using the slow speed to break them up, then the fast one to whisk them till smooth. Now taste and season the purée, then place the bowl in a roasting tin half-filled with barely simmering water and it will keep warm quite happily until your guests arrive.