AIP Roasted Garlic Mashed Sweet Potatoes

I took a poll over on instagram, the biggest recipe request my AIP folks have is Mashed Potatoes, and as an Idahoan I totally get it! When you go from russett potatoes to sweet potatoes (not to be confused with yams, you can read more about the difference in this great Serious Eats article)

There are several different varieties of sweet potatoes, some called yams here in the states, but if you’re an AIP’er looking for “mashed potatoes” at Thanksgiving I’d be guessing you’re looking for something that actually resembles a mashed russet. My favorite non-AIP compliant mashed potato is actually a combination of peeled russet and unpeeled yukon gold. Russet being starchy and red, white or yukon gold are considered waxy potatoes; I find that the silkiest most decadent mashed potatoes come from a combo of the two in about a 1:1 ratio.

All that being said I think if you start with the right variety of sweet potato and give it the proper treatment you can get something that comes pretty darn close to a traditional mashed potato. Since they are after all, sweet potatoes, they are going to have a bit of inherent sweetness however. Cooking them in the oven will really bring that sweetness to the forefront, but boiling can leave them waterlogged if the pieces are cut too small. Three inch cubes are going to take a little longer to cook but will be the best way to reduce excess moisture. It also helps to drain them and let them cool a bit, the steam released will help dry them out. Conversely you can cook them whole in the instant pot for about 15 minutes at high pressure.

There are a few varieties of white fleshed sweet potatoes, the ones with white skin that you are likely to see this time of year in any American grocer- the Hannah, or the purple skinned Satsuma that you are more likely to encounter at an Asian market.

Don’t know what you’re looking at, simply use your fingernail to scratch away a bit of the skin, you will be able to see what color the edible flesh is underneath so you don’t have any surprises when you get home.

If you’re not looking to fool your fam Okinawan purple sweet potatoes have the texture most similar to a russet but are bright purple fleshed and are slightly less sweet tasting once cooked.

The other starchy white root that we haven’t talked about is Yuca, and its not a potato or sweet potato at all. It is the root of a South American shrub and the source of cassava flour (whole root) and tapioca (washed starch). It can be found in many Mexican and Asian Markets, whole root with its dark woody skin, or peeled and frozen. Even the frozen stuff needs to be boiled and have the woody core removed.

For this recipe I’m going to recruit a little of that starchiness from the Yuca to “dry” out the sweet potatoes. It is also pretty flavorless so it helps tone down the “sweet” you can definitely use mashed yuca in place of mashed potatoes also, but it can be more difficult to find for some folks.

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AIP Roasted Garlic Mashed Sweet Potatoes

2.5 - 3 lbs white fleshed sweet potato (Japanese satsuma is drier, but any ol white flesh sweet potato will do) cut into large chunks

0.5 lb yuca, peeled and cut into large chunks

1/2 cup coconut yogurt

1 cup chicken broth

3-4 cloves roasted garlic

1 tsp Sea Salt

1 tbsp bacon or chicken fat

Parsely or chives to garnish

1. Peel, cube and cook the sweet potatoes and yuca.

2. Heat the chicken broth with the garlic, salt and fat. Mash the garlic into small bits.

3. Once the potatoes and yuca are cooked, remove the fibrous cores from the yuca and discard any remaining skins.

4. With a mixer mash the potato and yuca together, add in the chicken broth mixture and the yogurt. Mix until thoroughly combined, check for seasoning.

5. Serve garnished with parsley or chives. This can be made ahead and frozen. Warm it up by placing the baking dish in the oven at 350, covered with foil for about 30 minutes before removing the foil and cooking for another 10-15 minutes.