Sweet Potato, Pecan and Chipotle Puree

Ingredients

• 1 cup pecans
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3 pounds sweet potatoes (peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces)
• 2 tablespoons adobo sauce from chipotle chiles in adobo
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt (plus more for salting water)
• 1/4 cup Mexican style cream

Instructions

1. 1

   Place pecans, nutmeg and thyme in a small saucepan and cover with the milk. Set over low heat, once it comes to a gentle simmer, turn off heat and cover. Let it sit while the sweet potatoes cook.

2. 2

   Bring salted water to a rolling boil over high heat in a large saucepan. Add the sweet potatoes, making sure the water covers them and reduce heat to medium. Continue to cook at a medium simmer until the sweet potatoes are completely cooked through, soft, and the tip of a paring knife can easily go through any piece, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and reserve.

3. 3

   Place half of the sweet potatoes and half of the pecan and milk mixture in a food processor. Puree until completely smooth, then scrape into a bowl. Repeat with the remaining sweet potatoes and pecan and milk mixture, but this time add the adobo sauce and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Puree until completely smooth and scrape onto same bowl.

4. 4

   Set the same large saucepan you used to cook the sweet potatoes over medium heat. Add the butter, once it melts and bubbles, add the sweet potato mix. Stirring with a spatula, pour in the cream and cook for a couple minutes more, until completely heated through. Serve.