Good old mashed veg

This is a gutsy veg dish which just about everyone loves. My missus makes me fantastic mashed vegetables seasoned and drizzled with olive oil - the only thing is, they are meant to be separate servings of boiled carrots and new potatoes! So if you, too, are prone to overcooking your veg, just mash it all together.

Feel free to use any single vegetable or a mixture of your favourites. Simply peel them, chop them up into golf-ball sized pieces, place in salted boiling water and cook until nice and tender. Drain in a colander before placing the veg back in the pan and mashing with a potato masher. Make it as smooth or as chunky as you like. Season carefully, then enrich the flavour with extra virgin oil or butter, or both, to taste. Once cooked, the mash can be kept warm in a bowl covered with kitchen foil over simmering water. This is handy when cooking for a dinner party, as you can get one lot of veg done and nicely out of the way.

• from Return Of The Naked Chef