From Roots: The Definitive Compendium with more than 225 Recipes
Copyright ©Diane Morgan (Chronicle Books 2012), reprinted with permission

Here is one vegetable dish that doesn’t require any last-minute attention for the busy cook focusing on an elaborate holiday meal such as Thanksgiving. The carrots can be cooked and puréed a couple of days ahead. Assemble the pudding on the day you plan to serve it, refrigerate it for up to several hours, and then remove it from the refrigerator about an hour before baking. Hot from the oven, the carrot pudding is gloriously puffed, beautifully browned, and pretty on the plate.

Serves 8 to 10

5 large carrots, about 11/2lb/680 g, trimmed, peeled, and cut into 1-in/2.5-cm chunks
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
5 tbsp/70 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup/50 g granulated sugar
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp kosher or fine sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
2 tbsp grated yellow onion
1 cup/240 ml milk
3 large eggs, lightly beaten

Put the carrots in a medium saucepan, add cold water to cover by 1 in/2.5 cm, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the carrots until tender when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly.

Transfer the carrots to a food processor and process until smooth. Add the lemon juice, process to combine, and then transfer to a small bowl. (The carrots can be prepared up to 2 days in advance, covered, and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before making the pudding.)

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350ºF/180ºC/gas 4. Coat a 2-qt/2-L soufflé dish with 1 tbsp of the butter.

In a medium bowl, combine the remaining 4 tbsp/55 g butter, the sugar, flour, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth. Add the onion and puréed carrots and beat until well blended. Add the milk and eggs and mix until smooth. Spoon the mixture into the prepared dish, smoothing the top.

Bake, uncovered, until the pudding is puffed and lightly browned and the center is firm to the touch, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Serve immediately.