Bourbon Sweet-Potato Purée with Buttered Pecans

Name: Bourbon Sweet-Potato Purée with Buttered Pecans
Prep time: 10 min
Cuisine: www.epicurious.com
Ingredients: 6 pounds sweet potatoes (about 6 large); 3 tablespoons bourbon; 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened; 2 cups pecan halves (about 8 ounces); 1 teaspoon coarse salt; 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar

Ingredients

6 pounds sweet potatoes (about 6 large)
3 tablespoons bourbon
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups pecan halves (about 8 ounces)
1 teaspoon coarse salt
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar

Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Step 2

Prick sweet potatoes with a fork and in a baking pan bake in middle of oven until tender, about 1 hour.

Step 3

When just cool enough to handle, peel potatoes and transfer half to a food processor. Add bourbon and 6 tablespoons butter and purée 30 seconds. Transfer purée to a large bowl. Purée remaining potatoes in food processor until completely smooth and transfer to bowl. Stir purée until combined well and season with salt and pepper. Transfer purée to a 2-quart gratin dish or other shallow baking dish. Purée may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Bring purée to room temperature before proceeding.

Step 4

Reduce temperature to 325° F.

Step 5

In a shallow baking pan spread pecans in one layer and bake in middle of oven until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Toss hot pecans with remaining 2 tablespoons butter and coarse salt. Pecans may be made 2 days ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.

Step 6

Arrange pecans on top of purée and sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake purée in upper third of oven until heated through and pecans are slightly browned, about 30 minutes.