And the mash gets a makeover too 

Fresh ideas for our favourite side dish 

Pea, potato & mint smash 

SERVES 6 

A delish summery mash-up that’s good with lamb sausages or merguez. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, add 500g scrubbed baby new potatoes and simmer for about 20 minutes or until just tender. Add 500g fresh or frozen peas and continue cooking for another 3 minutes (a little more if cooking from frozen). Drain in a colander and set aside for a few minutes for the surface moisture to evaporate. Return the potatoes and peas to the pan. Using a potato masher, gently crush and partly chop them. Pour over 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and 1 tbsp lemon juice, scatter over 3 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint, season with sea salt and black pepper and gently toss together. Serve straight away or rewarm as necessary. 

Carrot mash with pine nuts

SERVES 6 

Works beautifully with beef sausages or any classic banger. Trim, peel and slice 1.2kg carrots. In a medium-large pan, bring 600ml water to the boil with 50g salted butter and ½ tsp sea salt. Add the carrots, return to the boil, cover and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes until tender. Purée the carrots to a smooth mash in a blender with a few tablespoons of the cooking liquid. Season to taste with salt and black pepper, transfer to a serving bowl and dot with butter. Finish with a scattering of chopped flat-leaf parsley, chopped spring onion and toasted pine nuts.

Cauliflower & chive mash

SERVES 6 

Perfect with robust flavours and especially with black pudding. Prepare 900g trimmed cauliflower florets (from about 2 caulis). Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, add the florets and cook for about 15 minutes or until tender. Drain in a colander and leave for a few minutes to steam dry. In a food processor, in batches if necessary, whiz the cauli to a purée with 130g sour cream. Season to taste with salt, black pepper and freshly grated nutmeg. Gently rewarm and transfer to a serving bowl. Scatter with 3 tbsp finely snipped chives and turn once or twice to streak the mixture. Finish with a knob of butter.