Lemony mashed potato, asparagus, almond, mint

Name: Mashed potato and asparagus recipe
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 lemon, scrubbed; 40g mint; 5 garlic cloves, peeled; 700g large potatoes (such as Yukon Gold or desiree), peeled and cut into 3cm chunks; 50g unsalted butter; 75ml milk; 90g sour cream; 50.00 ml unsalted butter; 60ml olive oil; 800g asparagus, woody ends trimmed; 6 anchovy fillets, finely sliced; 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 50g almond; 1 1/2 tsp dried mint

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Lemony mashed potato, asparagus, almond, mint

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by Yotam Ottolenghi

Oct 20, 2019

Spring asparagus and zesty potatoes make this dish the ultimate side.

For the potatoes

1 lemon, scrubbed
15 mint sprigs (40g), plus 1/4 cup lightly packed shredded mint leaves
5 garlic cloves, peeled
700g large potatoes (such as Yukon Gold or desiree), peeled and cut into 3cm chunks
50g unsalted butter
75ml milk
90g sour cream

For the asparagus

2 1/2 tbs unsalted butter
1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
800g asparagus, woody ends trimmed
6 anchovy fillets, finely sliced
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 cup (50g) flaked almonds, lightly toasted
1 1/2 tsp dried mint

Method

1.

For the potatoes, use a peeler to remove the zest from the lemon in large strips. Cut the peeled lemon into six wedges and reserve for serving.
2.

Fill a medium saucepan with salted water, add the lemon zest, mint sprigs and garlic, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add potato and boil for 15 minutes or until cooked through. Drain well.
3.

Return potato, lemon zest and garlic to the pan, discarding the mint sprigs. Add butter, milk, sour cream and 3/4 tsp salt and mash until smooth and creamy. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside until ready to serve.
4.

Meanwhile, for the asparagus, melt the butter and oil in a large frypan over medium-high heat until butter and oil start to foam. Add asparagus and cook, turning frequently, until cooked through but retaining a slight bite, 5-8 minutes, depending on thickness. Turn off the heat and use tongs to transfer asparagus to a plate. Add the anchovy, garlic and a pinch of salt to the pan, return to medium heat, and stir continuously until the garlic starts to go golden, 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in almond and dried mint, and immediately spoon the mixture into a bowl to stop cooking.
5.

Divide the mashed potato among serving plates and top with the asparagus. Spoon the buttered almond mixture over the top and serve immediately with a sprinkle of fresh mint and lemon wedges alongside