Spinach and Carrot Butter Mash

With the bounty of summer vegetables at the farmers market, like heirloom tomatoes, eggplant, and squash, it may be hard to get excited by carrots, a year-round standby, right now. But I've found summer carrots to be particularly sweet -- refreshing cold and raw on a hot July day, or satisfying as a summer-sunset-colored accompaniment to the main course when cooked.

Tonight I'm making spinach and carrot butter mash, the answer to yeast-free eaters' cravings for, say, creamed spinach. Most creamed spinach recipes call for lots o' cow's milk cream and flour to thicken the dish, no-nos for those suffering from yeast distress. In this dish, some organic butter and cooked, mashed carrots stand in for the creaminess. The sweetness of the carrots is a perfect balance to the earthy, wilted spinach. It's great as a side dish for steaks. It's also akin to an Indian vegetable curry and would be tasty alongside some spiced, grilled chicken.

Spinach and Carrot Butter Mash
from Easy Vegetarian (Ryland Peters & Small)

1 lb. carrots, peeled and chopped
6 tablespoons butter (you can reduce the butter to lighten the dish as desired)
8 oz. spinach, chopped if desired, about 2 cups
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Cook the carrots in a saucepan of lightly salted boiling water for about 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain well.

Return the carrots to the pan and put over low heat. Steam off the excess water, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat, add the butter salt, and pepper, and and mash the carrots well. Return to heat. Add the spinach to the mash in batches, stirring until wilted. Serve immediately.