Sweet mashed potatoes make a great side

There’s no reason we can’t treat sweet potatoes like regular potatoes — mashed with butter, cream, roasted garlic and lots of salt. Baking sweet potatoes in the oven, avoiding large pots of boiling water is a hands-off way to cook them and also concentrates their flavor. It’s easy to avoid the last-minute cooking sprint with this side dish, as they can easily be made the day before, when you’re less stressed. Roll up your sleeves, put on a podcast and enjoy the cooking.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes With Roasted Garlic

Ingredients:

• 1 large head of garlic

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

• Salt

• Black pepper

• 2 pounds sweet potatoes

• 1/2 cup heavy cream

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Turn the garlic head on its side and cut off the very top end to expose the cloves. Place the head of garlic on a sheet of foil, cut side up, and drizzle with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Wrap tightly and place on a sheet pan. Wrap each sweet potato individually in foil and place on the pan alongside the garlic.

Bake until the sweet potatoes are tender and the garlic is soft, fragrant and slightly caramelized, about 1 hour. Set aside, still wrapped, to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, heat the cream and butter in the microwave in 30-second intervals, checking after each, until the butter is melted, about 1 minute.

Unwrap the sweet potatoes and peel them, discarding the skin and adding the orange flesh to a large bowl. Squeeze the garlic head, cut side down, into the bowl to release the roasted cloves. Pour in the hot cream and butter. Using a whisk or fork, break up the potatoes and garlic and vigorously stir until smooth and fluffy, at least 30 seconds. Taste for seasoning, adjusting with salt and pepper as needed. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve warm.

To make ahead, transfer to a buttered casserole dish or cake pan, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours, until ready to eat. Bake in a 350-degree oven or microwave until heated through, about 15 minutes. When it’s dinner time, you should reheat this.

Total time: 1 1/2 hours, serves 4-6.