This side dish of silky mashed potatoes sweetened with pumpkin (left over from Pumpkin Muffins), seasoned with fresh sage, and laced with melty strands of Fontina cheese is full of favorite autumnal flavors. But, surprisingly, it’s the cider vinegar that really makes this dish sing—just a tablespoon of this stealth ingredient adds a roundness that ties the whole dish together. We love it with pork chops or turkey cutlets.
1 1/2lblarge boiling potatoes
1/2stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1cupcanned pure pumpkin
3/4cupwhole milk, warmed
1/4lbItalian Fontina cheese, diced (about 1 cup)
1 1/2teaspoonfinely chopped sage
1tablespooncider vinegar
1/4teaspoongrated nutmeg
Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch pieces, then put in a 3-quart saucepan with 2 teaspoon salt and enough cold water to cover by 1 inch. Simmer, uncovered, until tender, about 15 minutes.
Drain potatoes, then return to pot. Add butter and mash with a potato masher. Stir in pumpkin, warm milk, cheese, sage, vinegar, nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.