What's a fork-in-the-road dish? This is the idea that you can separate out some of whatever you are making and make a simpler version for picky eaters, then continue on your merry way and gussy up the rest of the dish with gutsier ingredients, herbs, seasonings, etc. to give it more oomph for the grownups and adventurous eaters.
Vegetarians can usually make quite a sumptuous meal out of most Thanksgiving spreads (in fact, some outspoken individuals have submitted that the turkey is not the highlight of the feast, perhaps even superfluous). However, if you are a vegan, your options become dramatically more limited, what with the cream in the mashed potatoes, the eggs in the pies, and the butter in ... well, in everything if you're at my house.
But if you know you've got a vegan in residence, you must take a moment to make sure there are a few dishes with no verboten ingredients in them. And if at the same time you can create a dish that can be divided into two versions, one gentle enough for the picky eaters (and in this case, even suited toward the littlest guests), one pumped up for those who are looking for more flavor, then you have a dish that is really earning its place on the buffet.
The Fork-In-The-Road element of this recipe is the ginger and cloves, which add a bit of heat and zing. And the fact that the sweet potatoes are whipped up with olive oil instead of butter or cream make them vegan-friendly. As a bonus, people who are lactose-intolerant will be grateful, because they are also cautiously navigating the table on indulgent holidays. And you will be thankful for the make-ahead simplicity of this dish. Don't forget about this one after Thanksgiving -- it's a great winter staple.
Vegan Sweet Potato Puree
4 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4 large), peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons brown sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 teaspoons peeled and minced fresh finger, or 1 teaspoon ground ginger
Nice pinch ground cloves
1. Place the sweet potatoes a medium-sized pot with one inch of water. Cover, bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, lower the heat to medium-low and continue to simmer until the potatoes are quite tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes.
2. Using a ricer, a food mill, or a potato masher, mash the potatoes until they are as smooth (or not) as you like them. The food mill and the ricer will create a very smooth puree, while the masher will probably leave some chunks.
3. Place the mashed sweet potatoes in a large bowl and with a wooden spoon or a whisk blend in the olive oil brown sugar, and salt and pepper. At this point you can take some of the mixture out, leaving it gently sweet and plain, and then stir in the ginger and cloves into the rest of the sweet potatoes (the amounts indicated assume that you are seasoning half of the dish, but you can adjust the amount of spices up and down as desired). Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. You can make this ahead for up to 3 days, reheating it over low heat, or in the microwave (stir frequently as you heat in either case).
4. Serve hot (it is helpful to label the two bowls, or at least put them in different colored bowls so people can know which is which).