serves 4
4 medium size potatoes (red-skin variety recommended)
1 small sweet potato
1 medium size beet
¾ of a medium size red onion
3-4 cloves of fresh garlic
1 cup sweet peas
½ teaspoon sweet red paprika
½ teaspoon chopped fresh or dry basil leaves
¾ cup of extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup vegetable broth
salt and cayenne pepper to taste
• Scrub and wash potatoes, sweet potato and beet.
• Boil potatoes with skins on in enough water to cover them.
• Boil beet separately in little water and peel as soon as it is soft enough to purée.
• Peel and chop the onion and garlic.
• In a large skillet, sauté the onion in olive oil until it begins to turn golden, then add the chopped garlic and continue sautéing until begins to cook. Remove from heat.
• Pour vegetable broth into a small bowl, stir in paprika, salt, cayenne pepper and basil and add this mixture slowly to the still hot oil-onion-garlic mix, stirring well before covering to keep it warm.
• Mash (peeled or not) potatoes and sweet potato—though it’s best to mash the beet separately; then blend them together and stir in the above mixture thoroughly.
• Place in serving bowl and spread the peas on top before serving.
(I dare anyone to discern the taste of beets in this dish.)