I am a working family's dream. I will happily eat the same thing for tea every night for a week. My latest fad is grilled pork cutlet chop, gravy, local apple sauce, peas, local mint jelly, carrot batons and mashed potato.
On the other side of the world they are all gleefully starting to eat new potatoes, but as we gently fade into Autumn, I look for the starchy white fleshed potatoes to mash. And that's what I am cooking today: mashed potatoes.
Our local green grocer has quite a selection of potatoes and today I chose Kennebecs, but you should check locally to see what's best in your area. We are spoiled for choice. So here's how I make mashed potatoes.
- 800g mashing potatoes
- 1/3 cup hot milk - 30 secs in the microwave
- 40g butter
- salt, pepper
- garlic clove crushed, chives snipped
Peel your potatoes and then rinse and cut into cubes, I actually cut wedge shapes about 3 cm long. Place into the pan and then just cover with COLD water. This is very important because it allows the potato to cook evenly, otherwise the hot water cooks the outside too quickly and makes them crumbly. Add a pinch of salt. Place on the stove and bring to the boil. Once boiling, put the lid on the saucepan and turn the heat down so the water is just simmering. (I added a crushed clove of garlic for some extra flavour)
Check progress at about 15 minutes by sticking a knife or fork into a large piece of potato. It should be tender but not falling apart. Generally it takes 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and then put back on the stove for a minute or two to make sure that the potatoes are dry, shake the pan a little to help it along. (Remove the garlic, or you can squeeze the flesh out and add it)
Roughly mash the potatoes and then add the hot milk and butter. Mash till all combines and then fluff by whipping with a fork. Serve with a scattering of chives, or add some Parmesan cheese, blue cheese, crispy bacon, the sky's the limit really. My plate shows one serve.
You can use the left overs to make some yummy fish cakes. Just add some finely chopped onion, an egg and some tuna or salmon. Form into cakes and refrigerate for about 30 minutes and then dip in egg and breadcrumbs and fry till crisply brown. Yum!!!
