January 3, 2012

MASHED POTATOES

Preparing Mashed Potatoes sounds easy enough but how many times have you eaten pasty thick under seasoned Mashed Potatoes?  Mashed Potatoes must be the ultimate of American Comfort foods.  They go with almost anything and if prepared right are flavorful and silky and often are the star of the meal, outshining the main dish.  Topping Mashed Potatoes with Homemade Gravy can only improve on perfection.  Mashed Potatoes go perfect with Butter Roasted Chicken and the ultimate classic Meatloaf . The key to a great Mashed Potato is not over mixing and using a ricer or food mill to mash the Potatoes.  Lots of Butter and Cream don't hurt either.  When you are Cooking The Amazing your Mashed Potatoes will be perfect and delicious every time.


Here is the recipe.


2 1/2 lbs  Yukon Gold Potatoes
1 T  Fine Grain Sea Salt
Water For Cooking
4 T  Cold Butter
1 t  Fine Grain Sea Salt
1 t  Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1/2 c - 1 c  Heavy Cream or Half and Half



1.  Get a large pot of cold Water and set aside.  As you peel your Potatoes and dice them, place them in the cold Water.  Potatoes will be less mealy if you start them in cold Water.

2.  Peel and dice your Potatoes into about 2 inch chunks.  Place them into the cold Water off heat.
3.  Place the pot of cold Water and Potatoes on the stove and bring to a boil on high heat.  Once boiling add 1 T Sea Salt to the pot and stir and reduce the heat to a rolling simmer.  Simmer for approximately 15-20 minutes or until the Potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a fork.  Remove from the heat and allow the Potatoes to set aside in the hot Water while you heat the Cream.
4.  Dice 4 T of cold Butter into small cubes and set aside.  In a small pot bring the Cream or Half and Half to a gentle simmer and remove from the heat. 
5.  Drain the Potatoes well and place through a ricer or food mill or use an old fashioned hand Potato masher and mash the Potatoes then place them back into the original pot off heat.
6.  Add the cold Butter and 1 t Sea Salt and 1 t Black Pepper and 1/2 c hot Cream and mix with a large spoon gently.  Be careful to avoid over mixing or the Mashed Potatoes will be gummy.  Lightly mix until just incorporated.  Add more hot Cream if needed in small amounts until you get the desired consistency you prefer.  Taste and add more Sea Salt or Black Pepper if needed.  Serve immediately with  Homemade Gravy or a just a pat of Butter.

Serve your Mashed Potatoes with Butter Roasted Chicken for the perfect compliment or the classic Meatloaf.


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3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sounds heavenly. You might want to try white pepper, it is yummy.

Angie said...

All your recipes are amazing! I appreciate the new background--much easier to read. I ditto the suggestion to write a book! I would definitely buy it!!!

Amaira said...

Yum! Yum! And more yum! This was super easy and so creamy. I never made such good mashed potatoes. The gravy was over the top too!!!!!