Sweet Potato Bourbon Mash with Praline Topping is the executive chef of Hill Country, the award-winning Texas barbecue restaurant/music venue in Manhattan and an instructor at New York’s Institute of Culinary Education (ICE). From elizabeth karmel.

Ingredients 

Serves 8-10

8 large sweet potatoes, roasted

1 pint heavy cream

1/2-3/4 cup bourbon

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup molasses

1 teaspoon sea salt, or more to taste

3 dashes of Tabasco

Freshly grated nutmeg

1 cup Spicy Praline Pecans

Spicy Praline Pecans

Makes 1 pound of praline pecans

1/3 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Pinch of cayenne pepper, or more to taste

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 pound pecan halves

1 egg white, room temperature

1 tablespoon water

Method 

1. Make sure to prick the potatoes with a fork before roasting.

2. When done and cool to the touch, peel potatoes and cut them in quarters.

3. Put in a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Add cream, bourbon, sugar, molasses and salt to potatoes.

4. Simultaneously, mash potatoes with a large fork or potato masher and mix all the ingredients together. If the potatoes need more liquid, add a little water. Stir until smooth.

5. Simmer covered, over medium low heat for 30-40 minutes or until potatoes are so soft that they resemble a puree. This second cooking makes the potatoes foolproof since any hard (under-cooked) pieces of sweet potato have a chance to cook before serving.

6. When potatoes have cooked down, add the Tabasco and nutmeg and taste. Adjust salt as necessary.

7. Serve immediately with Praline Topping and refrigerate any leftovers. Alternatively, make a day in advance and re-heat before serving. Place the praline topping on the mash just before serving.

Spicy Praline Pecans

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

2. Mix together sugars, salt, cayenne and cinnamon; set aside.

3. Beat egg white until frothy but not stiff, add water and stir until combined.

4. Add pecans and stir to coat evenly.

5. Sprinkle nuts with sugar mixture and stir until evenly coated.

6. Spread sugared nuts in a single layer on a cookie sheet fitted with a SilPat® or parchment paper.

7. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally as needed.

8. Remove from oven and separate nuts as they cool. Let cool for at least an hour before storing in tightly closed container.

Notes and Tips 

Just before serving, place in a skillet, casserole or soufflé dish and top with the Praline Pecans. I like to place whole pecans on the top and chop about 1/8 cup of the pecans into a fine dust and sprinkle all over as well.