What to serve with sausages, beef stews and pies... mash, of course! Our food team have had a mash-up and put three twists on this classic side dish. Why not try sweet potato, chilli and garlic mash, or Parmesan olive oil mash - or forget potato altogether and go for blue cheese, celeriac and sage mash. In fact, who needs a main at all, when you have such delicious sides!

All serve 4

Sweet potato, cumin and chilli mash

1kg sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into equal chunks
4 shallots, finely sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
1-2 red chillies, deseeded and finely diced
1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and crushed
50g butter, cubed
2 tbsp hot milk

1 Cook the sweet potatoes in boiling salted water for 20-25 minutes until tender, then drain.

2 Fry the shallots in the olive oil for 7-8 minutes over a high heat, stirring frequently, until golden. Drain on kitchen paper and sprinkle with a little salt.

3 Mash the sweet potatoes, then mix with the chillies, cumin, butter, milk and a pinch of salt.

4 Reheat and serve scattered with the crispy shallots.

Blue cheese, celeriac and sage mash

1kg celeriac, peeled and cut into equal chunks
50g butter, in pieces, plus a little extra
1 tbsp olive oil
a small bunch of sage, leaves only
2 tbsp hot milk
100g Gorgonzola, cubed

1 Cook the celeriac for 20-25 minutes in boiling salted water or until tender.

2 Heat the extra butter and the oil in a frying pan and, when sizzling, add the sage leaves. Fry for 1-2 minutes until crisp; drain on kitchen paper.

3 Drain the celeriac, mash it with the 50g of butter and milk, and season.

4 Reheat in the pan until piping hot, then add the Gorgonzola and half the sage leaves, crumbled, and stir together.

5 Season to taste and scatter with the remaining sage leaves to serve.

Garlic and Parmesan olive oil mash

1kg floury potatoes (Maris Piper or King Edward work well), peeled and cut into equal chunks
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
4 tbsp grated Parmesan (or vegetarian alternative)

1 Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water with the garlic cloves for 20-25 minutes until tender; drain well.

2 Mash the potatoes and garlic with the olive oil.

3 Gently reheat, stirring, then stir in 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan.

4 Spoon the mash into a serving dish and sprinkle over the remaining cheese.