Roast Mushrooms and Kale over Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Wow. This is crazy good. I won't go into every reason why because I will go on and on, but the mashed sweet potatoes are especially amazing. And I'm not usually a fan of sweet potatoes. And the combination of nutmeg and kale is totally delicious. Wow.

Roast Mushrooms and Kale over Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Courtesy of Rachael Ray



2 pounds mixed mushrooms (such as wood ear, cremini, portobello and shiitake)—wiped clean, stemmed if necessary and sliced
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
A few sprigs fresh thyme, chopped
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Sea salt and pepper
5 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup whole milk or half-and-half
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
A few dashes hot sauce
1 1/2 cups extra-sharp yellow cheddar cheese
1 pound cavolo nero (also called black, tuscan, dinosaur or lacinato kale), stemmed and coarsely chopped
Freshly grated nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 450°F. On a large baking sheet, dress the mushrooms, garlic and thyme with 1/4 cup oil and spread out. Roast the mushrooms for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and season with sea salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, in a pot, combine the sweet potatoes and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, season with sea salt and cook until fork-tender, 15 minutes. Drain and return to the pot, then mash with the stock and milk (or half-and-half). Season with sea salt, pepper, the paprika and hot sauce. Stir in the cheddar until melted.

While the potatoes are working, in a bowl, toss the kale with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and season with sea salt, pepper and a few grates of fresh nutmeg. Arrange on a rack set over a baking sheet and roast until crisp at the edges, 10 to 12 minutes.

Combine the mushrooms and garlic with the kale and serve on a bed of the sweet potatoes.