White Bean Potato Purée

What side dishes would you serve along with pork tenderloin or roast beef? This was the question that I asked in my last post on Pork Tenderloin. As I get more experience in cooking and baking, I tend to find new focus and directions which I feel that I am lacking, something that I haven't mastered yet. It is always fun to explore new stuff, otherwise life would so boring. Same goes for science, once we are done with one project, we want to work on new ones with the acquired skills and knowledge from our previous project. This is how science usually advances.

In fancy restaurants and in cooking shows, main dishes are always served with a sauce and a side dish that  the flavors go well together. As you can see, I'm starting to explore different combination of side dishes that would complement well with mains. Since you viewers come from different part of the world, it was very interesting to see how you would respond to this question. There were some basic and quick side dishes that you have mentioned such as mashed and roasted potatoes, rice, pasta and greens. A few of you have mentioned grilled and sautéed asparagus, this is something that haven't tried yet, seems like it is a common side dish for Westerners. Thanks for all your response, I greatly appreciate it.

I would not ask this question for no reason if I haven't made one myself. Mashed potatoes are perfect when they are light and fluffy, even better when milk and butter is added. A good alternative is to use white beans. Since they have a very similar texture to potatoes once cooked, they are excellent sources of fiber! This mashed white bean potato dish complements well with any saucy dishes, a lighter and healthier alternative to mashed potatoes.

Serves 6

Preparation Time: 10 mins

Cooking Time: 15 mins
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 red-skinned or russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 can (14 oz.) navy or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2 garlic cloves for garlic paste

1/2 tsp ground rosemary (or any other herbs like thyme and oregano)

Salt and pepper

Procedure

1. In a medium pot, place potatoes and cover with water. Boil until potatoes are tender, about 10 mins.

2. Meanwhile, prepare garlic paste. Check this video for preparation. Garlic paste has a finer and smoother texture than minced garlic.

3. Turn heat to medium-low and add in beans. Simmer for 2-3 mins.

4. Drain until about 1/3 cup of cooking water remains. Add in garlic paste and herbs.

5. Purée mixture with an immersion blender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.