Mashed Potatoes
From America's Test Kitchen
NOTES
1. You can peel the whole potatoes and leave them submerged in water in the fridge, covered, for a day ahead of time. You can do this with cubed potatoes a couple hours ahead of time too, but not with shredded or finely diced potatoes.
2. The original recipe called for 1 cup half-and-half or milk; and 4 Tbl butter, but we've always had to throw away too much of the warmed mixture, so these amounts are reduced here.
3. In a later ATK recipe, to cook the potatoes much faster, they recommend cutting them into 1/4" thick discs. They were ready in about half the time and needed less water to cover.
INGREDIENTS
2 lb potatoes (6-7 medium)
salt
3/4 cup half-and-half or whole milk
3 Tbl butter
Ground black pepper
PREPARATION
1. Peel and cut potatoes, place in large pot with cold water to cover, and salt heavily.
2. Bring to boil over high heat, then cover and simmer until potatoes are just tender (about 10-12 mins for discs, 15-20 minutes for 1" chunks).
3. While potatoes are simmering, heat the milk and melt the butter, separately.
4. Drain potatoes when soft. Put through food mill or ricer into a warm, dry saucepan.
5. Add a little of the warmed milk and whip. When it's smooth, add the rest of the milk and mix well. Add butter and finish by whipping to blend it.
6. Generously season with lots of pepper and serve.
7. NOTE: To reheat pototatoes: Place a large, deep pot (eg a Dutch oven) on the stove and fill 1/3 of the way with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a very low simmer. Put the cold mashed potatoes into a saucepan and submerge it into the larger pot so the hot water comes most of the way up the sides of the saucepan, but not too high so as to keep water out of it, especially when stirring the potatoes. Keep the water on a low simmer and stir the mashed potatoes frequently until warmed through. Add a splash of milk or half-and-half to help thin it out if needed. To hold the mashed potatoes for an hour or two, simply turn off the heat and cover the pot.
NOTES
1. You can peel the whole potatoes and leave them submerged in water in the fridge, covered, for a day ahead of time. You can do this with cubed potatoes a couple hours ahead of time too, but not with shredded or finely diced potatoes.
2. The original recipe called for 1 cup half-and-half or milk; and 4 Tbl butter, but we've always had to throw away too much of the warmed mixture, so these amounts are reduced here.
3. In a later ATK recipe, to cook the potatoes much faster, they recommend cutting them into 1/4" thick discs. They were ready in about half the time and needed less water to cover.
INGREDIENTS
2 lb potatoes (6-7 medium)
salt
3/4 cup half-and-half or whole milk
3 Tbl butter
Ground black pepper
PREPARATION
1. Peel and cut potatoes, place in large pot with cold water to cover, and salt heavily.
2. Bring to boil over high heat, then cover and simmer until potatoes are just tender (about 10-12 mins for discs, 15-20 minutes for 1" chunks).
3. While potatoes are simmering, heat the milk and melt the butter, separately.
4. Drain potatoes when soft. Put through food mill or ricer into a warm, dry saucepan.
5. Add a little of the warmed milk and whip. When it's smooth, add the rest of the milk and mix well. Add butter and finish by whipping to blend it.
6. Generously season with lots of pepper and serve.
7. NOTE: To reheat pototatoes: Place a large, deep pot (eg a Dutch oven) on the stove and fill 1/3 of the way with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a very low simmer. Put the cold mashed potatoes into a saucepan and submerge it into the larger pot so the hot water comes most of the way up the sides of the saucepan, but not too high so as to keep water out of it, especially when stirring the potatoes. Keep the water on a low simmer and stir the mashed potatoes frequently until warmed through. Add a splash of milk or half-and-half to help thin it out if needed. To hold the mashed potatoes for an hour or two, simply turn off the heat and cover the pot.
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