A holiday meal is not complete without mashed potatoes. I’m ashamed to say that I’ve never made them from start to finish. I’ve helped along the way, and I am the chief taster / quality control inspector, but I’ve never done it on my own until this past Thanksgiving. Dan was out for the morning, so I had to put our pieces of the meal together by myself. It was a good chance to sharpen some of my less-used kitchen skills.
Right from the beginning, I realized that I had a lot to learn. I went to the grocery store to get a pound or two of potatoes and picked up six of the largest potatoes that I could find. Thinking that was about right, I tossed them in a bag and went on my merry way. When I got to the checkout counter, I discovered my mistake. My potatoes did not add up to two or three pounds but instead topped the scale at almost six pounds. Oops.
Always one to see the glass half full, I realized that this meant that we’d have plenty of mashed potatoes left over after dinner. Yum! Sure enough, they were delicious, and I got to eat some as a snack for the next couple of days.
Ingredients
6 Pounds of Potatoes (I used plain old Russet but my Dad, the king of mashed potatoes, swears by Yukon), peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3 Tbsp of salt (for the water)
1 cup 2% milk
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cubed
Truffle Oil to taste(optional)
Cracked black pepper to taste
Directions
1. Place the 6 lbs of peeled and chopped potatoes and 3 T salt into a large stockpot and cover with water (2 inches higher than the potatoes). Put a lid on the pot and bring to a boil.
2. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat and simmer, covered for 12 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
3. While the potatoes are simmering, pour the 1 c milk and 1/2 c half and half into a medium saucepan and heat gently. Do not boil. Once the milk is warm, set it aside.
4. Drain the potatoes and transfer to the bowl of a mixer (I had to do it in two batches). Beat on low and add the butter a little at a time.
5. Once the butter is incorporated, transfer the potatoes to the large stockpot and add the heated milk. Stir until combined.
6. Season with black pepper and truffle oil to taste.
Nutritionals(8 servings) Cals: 264, Fat: 13, Carb: 34, Fiber: 4, Protein: 5
