Brown Butter and Maple Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Mash
Butternut squash and sweet potatoes are halved, brushed with brown butter and maple syrup, seasoned with fresh rosemary, and roasted. No peeling and dicing necessary - just roast them with the peels on! Then, the cooked flesh is scooped into a bowl and mashed with more brown butter, maple syrup, and heavy cream. A drizzle of extra brown butter forms gorgeous, rich pools on the top for serving!
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil (highly recommended).
While the oven is preheating, brown the butter. In a small or medium pot, melt the butter (6 tablespoons) over medium-high heat. Stir or whisk constantly, until butter begins to foam and turns brown, emitting a nutty fragrance. Immediately remove from heat. Set aside.
Mix 2 tablespoons of the brown butter in a small bowl with 2 tablespoons of the maple syrup. Set aside.
Cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise and use a spoon to remove and discard the seeds and pulp from the center. Use a small knife (I like serrated) to score the cut sides of the squash and potatoes in a crosshatch pattern, about 1/4" deep. Place cut side up on the prepared baking dish.
Brush the brown butter and maple syrup mixture generously on the cut sides of the potatoes and squash. Pour any extra into the butternut squash cavities. Season with salt and pepper (not too much - you can always add more). Sprinkle with the fresh chopped rosemary (1 tablespoon).
Roast at 375 degrees F for 45 - 60 minutes, or longer if needed. You should be able to pierce the flesh of the potatoes and squash easily with a fork. Allow to cool for a few minutes.
Scoop the squash and potatoes from their peels using a spoon and place in a large bowl. Discard the skins and foil. Add 2 more tablespoons of the brown butter, the remaining 2 tablespoons of the maple syrup, and the heavy cream (½ cup). Use an electric mixer to mix together, or a potato masher for a more rustic texture. Season to taste, if necessary.
Transfer to a serving bowl or platter. Use a spoon to carve smooth indents and ridges in the top. Spoon the remaining 2 tablespoons brown butter on top of the puree, along with some freshly cracked black pepper. Serve.
Notes
If you prefer, you can peel and dice your squash and sweet potatoes, then toss with the maple brown butter to coat, season with salt and pepper and rosemary, and roast. You'll end up roasting for less time (about 25-30 minutes) but you'll spend more time and effort with prep.
Make ahead: This is best eaten fresh, but can be made ahead as well. Prepare everything as directed except for drizzling the brown butter on at the end. Refrigerate the puree and the brown butter separately in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Microwave the mash to reheat, stirring together every 30 seconds to a minute or so to heat evenly, then transfer the reheated puree to a serving dish. Alternatively, you can reheat the mash in a baking dish at 350 degrees until heated through. Melt the 2 tablespoons reserved brown butter and drizzle on just before serving.
Substitutions: Rosemary may be omitted or substituted with oregano or thyme, vegan butter and plant milk can be used instead of butter and cream for a vegan version, unsalted butter may be used with extra salt to taste.