BOURBON SWEET-POTATO PURéE WITH BUTTERED PECANS

Bourbon Sweet-Potato Purée with Buttered Pecans image

Yield Serves 8

Number Of Ingredients 6

6 pounds sweet potatoes (about 6 large)
3 tablespoons bourbon
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups pecan halves (about 8 ounces)
1 teaspoon coarse salt
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar

Steps:

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Prick sweet potatoes with a fork and in a baking pan bake in middle of oven until tender, about 1 hour.
When just cool enough to handle, peel potatoes and transfer half to a food processor. Add bourbon and 6 tablespoons butter and purée 30 seconds. Transfer purée to a large bowl. Purée remaining potatoes in food processor until completely smooth and transfer to bowl. Stir purée until combined well and season with salt and pepper. Transfer purée to a 2-quart gratin dish or other shallow baking dish. Purée may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Bring purée to room temperature before proceeding.
Reduce temperature to 325° F.
In a shallow baking pan spread pecans in one layer and bake in middle of oven until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Toss hot pecans with remaining 2 tablespoons butter and coarse salt. Pecans may be made 2 days ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
Arrange pecans on top of purée and sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake purée in upper third of oven until heated through and pecans are slightly browned, about 30 minutes.