The Graduate's Kitchen ManualMashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes are one of those foods that can polarize diners, depending upon their experience. Prepared in an institutional kitchen they often turn out to be rather glue-like, but made at home with care they are one of the great comfort foods. They are pretty easy to make the right way if you follow a few guidelines.
Choose the kind of potatoes you prefer. Russets, also known as Idaho potatoes, will give you light, fluffy mashed potatoes and Yukon Gold potatoes will result in creamier mashed potatoes.
Usually the first step is to peel the potatoes, but it isn’t actually necessary. If you don’t mind the way the brown bits of peel interrupt the otherwise pure potato landscape, just scrub the potatoes under cool running water and enjoy the extra flavor and the nutrients that are concentrated in the skins.
SERVES 4
Ingredients:
4 Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, or about 2 pounds of potatoes
2 tablespoons butter, or more to taste
4 tablespoons milk, or more to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
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Instructions:
▪ Peel the potatoes and rinse them or scrub the skins under cool running water. Cut the potatoes into quarters, place in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Place the cover on the saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.
▪ When the water begins to boil, remove the cover and continue to cook 15 to 20 minutes until a fork pierces the potatoes easily.
▪ While the potatoes are cooking, put the butter and milk in a small saucepan and heat over low until the butter is melted. You can also do this using a microwave oven. You could simply add cold butter and milk directly to the potatoes in a later step, but this would cool them off a bit.
▪ When the potatoes are through cooking, drain the water off thoroughly using the cover to hold the potatoes in the saucepan. Put the pan back on the stove on high heat and shake it for about 10 to15 seconds to allow the last bit of water to evaporate. Remove from the stove.
▪ Use a fork or a potato masher to break up the potatoes. Mix in the milk and butter, using a fork for the mixing, and be careful not to over mix or you will get paste instead of fluffy potatoes. You are welcome to use more butter if you prefer a richer flavor, and then if you want a thinner consistency add more milk, a tablespoon at a time. Gently mix in the salt and pepper.