When you love mashed potatoes as much as I do, you just have to perfect a method for preparing them. So I’m sharing of my secrets with you.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 kg (3 lb) Potatoes
- 250g (1 cup) Butter
- (1/4 cup) Warm milk
- Salt & pepper
- 200 g Sour Cream
Optional ingredients:
- Herbed Cream Cheese
- Garlic
- Chives
- Parsley
- Crumbled cooked bacon
- Cheddar Cheese, shredded
- Jack Cheese, shredded
Preparation:
- For smooth mashed potatoes, peel the potatoes. For a rustic smashed potato, Scrub potatoes with a brush, and rinse well with water.
- Cube the potatoes so that they are similar sizes.
- Put potato cubes into a pot. Add enough cold water to cover the potatoes. Add a couple of teaspoons of salt. Place over high heat to bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to medium low to continue to boil (not a rapid boil). Cook until a fork can gently insert into the potato cubes. Turn off the heat.
- Drain the potatoes into a colander. Return potatoes to the pot. Immediately add the butter. Start to press the potatoes with a masher. I find the key is to mash the potatoes as smooth as possible before adding the milk.
- When the potatoes are adequately mashed, add salt & pepper the warm milk. Mixing until smooth.
- To make the potatoes a little more rich and creamy I stir in sour cream.
**I advise hand mashing the potatoes. If you cooked them properly, it is not a difficult task to mash them. Using an electric mixer or food processor can easily turn the potatoes into a starchy paste. Not the desired texture.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes—add 4 cloves to the potatoes when you cook them. Mash the garlic along with the potatoes…
Garlic & Chive Mashed Potatoes—Prepare garlic mashed potatoes then finish off by garnishing with lots of chopped fresh parsley & chives.
Loaded Mashed Potatoes—Prepare the garlic mashed potatoes. Top with crumbled bacon, shredded cheese, chives, parsley.