Mashed swede

Starter: Serves 4 Preparation time: 25 minutes

A fondness for swede stops just south of the Scottish border, where it undergoes a metamorphosis from a food held in the highest esteem, loved by the Scots as "neeps" to be twinned with "tatties", to one that is fit for consumption only by cattle.

A fondness for swede stops just south of the Scottish border, where it undergoes a metamorphosis from a food held in the highest esteem, loved by the Scots as "neeps" to be twinned with "tatties", to one that is fit for consumption only by cattle.

1kg swede, peeled and cut up
75g crème fraiche
25g unsalted butter, plus an extra knob to serve
1 tsp Dijon mustard
sea salt, black pepper
finely chopped chives

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, add the swede and simmer over a medium heat for about 20 minutes until tender.

Then drain into a sieve and leave for a minute or two for the surface water to evaporate. You could also steam it.

Place the swede in a liquidiser with the remaining ingredients and reduce it to a purée. This may well take a little work; the swede is a stubborn vegetable.

It shouldn't need sieving, but taste it to check that it's smooth and no longer fibrous. Transfer it to a serving bowl, make a small well in the centre and drop in the remaining knob of butter. Scatter over some chopped chives and serve.