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So what is your mashed potatoes recipe?

Is there anybody out there who doesn’t like mashed potatoes? Aren’t they called a comfort food for good reason?

And yet, as simple as the concept of mashed potatoes is, it seems that everywhere you go to eat or buy them (to a restaurant, someone’s home, pre-packaged from the store) they end up tasting different. Why is that? The basic recipe consists of potatoes, butter, and milk or cream, and s/p. So how is it that no two recipes seem to taste the same?

The restaurant I used to work at had the best garlic-roasted mashed potatoes, ever. They made them with heated heavy whipping cream, real butter, and white pepper. They were so delicious.

Mine are not as good as that, as I don’t use roasted garlic, heavey cream, or white pepper. Still, I don’t think they are bad. Here’s my recipe:

4 large russet potatoes, baked and peeled
Approx 8 oz of half & half
I can’t believe it’s not butter (or a little real butter if I have it on hand)
Kosher salt

After I peel the taters I just mash them in a bowl, add some ICBINB, and about 8 oz of half & half, and salt to taste. I think using milk or skim milk makes the mixture too thin. You really need a good amount of fat in mashed potatoes to make a decent dish.

I also make mashed sweet potatoes quite often, too. All I add to them is ICBINB, and that’s it. Sweet potatoes are supposed to be more nutritious than white potatoes, I think.

So what’s your recipe?

Tags: comfort food, mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, potato, potatoes, recipe, russet potato, sweet potato

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jaume on August 17, 2009 at 6:18pm

My recipe? I don't really have one, it changes every time.

I once replaced butter with olive oil, and never used butter since. I rarely use milk, although I often use cream. I almost always add other vegetables (usually garlic, onions and celery, also carrots, squash, pumpkin, leek, and others), I sometimes replace potatoes with topinamburs or yams. Sometimes I add hot peppers. Sometimes I roast some of these ingredients, either before or after I mash them. And I'd better stop here, or I'd be still writing next morning.

Think about an alchemist looking for the philosophal stone, and maybe you'll understand my relation with mashed potatoes - 'cept, contrary to the alchemist, I'm usually satisfied with the results!.

Permalink Reply by Dallas (on hiatus) on August 17, 2009 at 6:27pm

Olive oil in mashed potatoes? Who'd a thunk it? I have had Greek potatoes with olive oil, oregano, and lemon juice, before, but never mashed. Are you still adding the cream along with the olive oil?

I would like to see a more detailed description of what you are doing, even if it is not an exact recipe.

Permalink Reply by Jaume on August 17, 2009 at 7:44pm

It's either olive oil or double cream, although I also experimented with both, with mixed results.

Example:
3 potatoes (bintje variety or similar), peeled
1 sweet red onion, peeled and sliced, lightly fried in olive oil (max 2 minutes)
1 celery (optionally, you can slice it in small sticks and start to fry it along with the onion)
1 fresh garlic clove, finely minced
olive oil
pepper

Salt the water. I prefer to use vapor to cook the ingredients, although it may pose a problem as they have different baking times (you can try boiling water as it's more convenient). Bake the potatoes first, add the celery at half-time. Mix them together immediately with the onion and garlic, while they're still very hot, so the onion and garlic get a chance to cook in the remaining heat. Add olive oil and pepper to taste. And salt if you forgot to put some in the water first.

Permalink Reply by Dallas (on hiatus) on August 18, 2009 at 9:07am

Yes, I'm pretty sure I've had either mashed rutabaga/potatoes or mashed parsnips/potatoes. It is a good combo.

Permalink Reply by Mel on August 17, 2009 at 7:01pm

A little vege-stock, curry powder and a cup of grated cheese are my not-very secret ingredients.

I swap between full-cream milk and and fullcream-milk powder and water and I find the taste difference is not significant. I usually have maragine in the house, but I'll use butter if I have it. An aquaintance puts a fair amount of protein shake powder in his - savoury or tastless flavour obviously (chocolate shake flavoured mashed potato anyone?)

I will have to try putting roasted garlic in. That sounds divine!... um... fantastic!

I was cooking at a early childhood center there and because of the allergies of all the kids I had to make mashed potato without any milk or butter - just a dash of water and salt and pepper! Gah!

Permalink Reply by Dallas (on hiatus) on August 18, 2009 at 9:08am

Ahh, yes, the nutmeg. I forgot to mention that at the restaurant I worked at, one guy always added a pinch of nutmeg to the potatoes when he made them.

Permalink Reply by JoAnn Keenan on August 19, 2009 at 7:30pm

These sweet potatoes sound wonderful. Thanks, Adriana.

Permalink Reply by Dallas (on hiatus) on September 7, 2009 at 2:25pm

Add salt, a little bit of extra-virgin olive oil (definitively olive oil), and mash them.

Adriana, I tried this today and I liked it. The evoo really changes the flavor profile. It was nice, and I'll prepare it that way again.

Permalink Reply by Dallas (on hiatus) on September 7, 2009 at 3:40pm

One way I do corn is to keep the husk on and bake it in the oven, maybe at 350 or so, until the outer husks are completely dried and brown, about 45 minutes I think. (It's been a really, really long time since I've done that, so I don't exactly remember the time, but when the husk is brown it is usually done.)

Permalink Reply by JoAnn Keenan on August 19, 2009 at 7:24pm

Don't measure. Boil cut spuds (I prefer yellow Finns) with skin intact. Dump in butter, milk (I use skim, b/c that's what I usually have around), crushed black pepper, salt and lots of crushed garlic. Smash/stir with a hand masher until smooth enough to serve in mounds, but still a little lumpy. Serve immediatley. This could be my whole meal. A little gravy and/or a medium-rare slice of bison and a fresh salad would make it a completely satisfying meal for me. (Well, maybe a good, dry red would enhance it.)

Permalink Reply by Max Polun on September 9, 2009 at 8:01am

The recipe I usually use it pretty basic (potatoes, butter, milk or cream), but I know a recipe that uses no dairy, just chicken broth and sauteed onions maybe with some other form of fat (schmaltz perhaps?) developed by the kosher-keeping jews in my family. It's actually pretty good, though I think the standard dairy-based mashed potatoes have a better texture.

Permalink Reply by Haggis on September 10, 2009 at 5:00pm

Sometimes, I add a couple heaping spoonfuls of strong horseradish or wasabi when serving them with red meat.

Other times I roast some garlic cloves (peel cloves, put into a tinfoil pouch, douse with olive oil, roast for 30 min sealed up) Mash the garlic along with the now garlic flavored oil into the taters. ENJOY!

Damn I love taters!