Top 3 alternatives to mashed potato

"Melt in your mouth ricotta dumplings; smooth, cheesy, goes-with-everything polenta, and deliciously creamy celeriac mash."

There’s no doubt that potato is one of the most versatile and comforting vegetables around so it often becomes a quick and easy go-to for so many of our meals. With winter well and truly here, we find ourselves leaning towards heartier, slow cooked dishes like stews and casseroles, and the classic kiwi roast, to which the classic potato, mashed or roasted, is the perfect partner.

If you're looking for ways to mix up the weekly dinners, impress dinner guests or simply try something a little bit different, we’ve pulled together our top 3 recipes that you can serve with just about any meal instead of potato; Melt in your mouth ricotta dumplings; smooth, cheesy, goes-with-everything polenta, and deliciously creamy celeriac mash.

Celeriac Mash
Perfect with: Beef or lamb dishes

50g Westgold butter
300g celeriac
100g potatoes
350ml milk
Salt and pepper

Peel and chop celeriac into 3cm pieces, then peel and chop potato into 5cm chunks. Place together in a saucepan, pour over milk and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook on medium heat until tender, approximately 25 mins.

Strain into a bowl, reserving the milk. Puree using a stick blender until smooth, adding back enough of the reserved hot milk to make a creamy mash. Add the butter and stir until combined. Season with salt and pepper.

Parmesan Polenta
Perfect with: Roast meals, Slow cooked dishes with plenty of sauce

250g fine polenta
1 litre water
125g Westgold butter
125g grated Parmesan
1 1/2 teaspoon Salt
fresh ground pepper
chopped parsley
extra grated parmesan for sprinkling

Bring the water and salt to the boil in a saucepan.

Using a whisk, slowly pour in the polenta, stirring all the time until it thickens and comes back to the boil.
Take off the heat and stir in the butter and parmesan. Season.

Ricotta Dumplings
Perfect with: Slow cooked dishes with plenty of sauce

40g Westgold butter – melted
1 cup Ricotta
1/3 cup flour
1 egg – beaten
¼ cup grated parmesan
Handful basil leaves, chopped
Salt & pepper

Mix together the ricotta, egg, melted butter, parmesan and basil to a smooth dough, stir in flour and salt and pepper. Using a spoon, create large golf ball size dumplings and set aside. 20 minutes before your casserole/stew/slow cooked meal is done, place the dumplings into the dish, in between the meat pieces. Cover with the lid and return to the oven/cooker/pan for 20 minutes.

Featured: Slow Cooked Beef with Ricotta Dumplings

See the full recipe here.