One of the comments I often hear is that preparing a meal is tough because it is boring and there is just isn’t enough energy to try new things, or enough time to find new ideas. One of the things I will be offering in my little business is “Personalized Culinary Mentoring” where we will meet together once a week for 4 weeks and go over your menu, the tough parts about meal planning and preparation and try to add a few little tips that can take your cooking up a notch or two. Hopefully it can also infuse some joy and energy back into this sacred task of preparing food to be shared with those you love.
Here are a few ideas on the staple mashed potatoes that might add a bit of interest to this part of your meal.
I would also love to hear what you do to create an interesting twist on this kind of comfort food.
Mashed Potatoes With The ’ Extra’ Ingredients
Potatoes absorb salt quickly so when you put your potatoes on to boil be sure to add at least a teaspoon of sea salt to water when you put them on to cook. Should you ever make something that seems too salty, add a slice of potato to absorb that salt and bring it back to the normal level you want.
The best potatoes for mashing are Yukon Gold or another variety of yellow flesh potatoes. They are less watery, and more mealy therefore give a much better texture for mashed potatoes
Mashed Potatoes with Nutmeg
- this simple spice added to mashed potatoes brings just a hint of something extra but is not easy to define. I just take a pinch of ground nutmeg between my fingers and add it to the already mashed potatoes.
Mashed Potatoes with Garlic and Olive Oil
- when you put your potatoes on to boil, and have added the salt, also add 1 clove of garlic, skin off, for every 4 potatoes. The garlic will cook along with the potatoes and be very tender and mash in beautifully with them. Add your nutmeg, salt and pepper as well as 2 tablespoons of olive oil (this measurement is based on 4 potatoes). I don’t add any cream or butter here making this a dish that is suited to those who wish to avoid any dairy products.
Mashed Potatoes with Onions and Cheddar Cheese
This is something my Irish Grandmother often made during the week with slow cooked meats, as we sat in her little kitchen and kept warm by the fire in the cold rainy winter months in Belfast. Both my Grandmothers were good at cooking comfort food.
- peel and chop your potatoes, put them in the salted water and bring them to a boil
- while they are cooking, finely chop a medium size onion and saute it in 1 - 2 tablespoons of butter. Cook until they are clear which will be about 7-10 minutes in time.
- when the potatoes are tender, drain them and mash them.
- add the cooked onions with all the melted butter as well.
- add salt and pepper to taste as well as your pinch of nutmeg.
- grate about ½ cup of cheddar cheese
- place the mashed potatoes in a greased pyrex dish and then put the grated cheese on top
- place under the broiler until the cheese is nicely melted and turns slighty golden.
Dijon Mashed Potatoes
- prepare your potatoes and boil them as usual
- when you are ready to mash them, add 1 tablespoon of grainy Dijon mustard for every 6 potatoes you have cooked.
- you can add less salt and as much pepper as you like.
- add in 1 - 2 tablespoons of butter depending on your desired taste.
- it is also good to heat up about ¼ cup of cream for every 6 potatoes cooked and added this heated cream to your mixture. Use less butter if you add the heated cream.
Dijon potatoes are great served with lamb or with beef.
Blue Cheese Mashed Potatoes
- prepare and cook your potatoes as usual
- add a little heated cream
- crumble 1/3 cup (for 6 potatoes) of blue cheese in and mash together.
- season with salt and white pepper for your taste
These potatoes are especially good with steak or strong flavoured meat and a good full bodied red wine adds to the flavour combinations.
Mashed Potatoes With The Skins On
I got this idea from my sister-in-law who lives in Idaho - potato country!
- since the skin is highly nutritious, this is a good way to cook them when the skins are pale in colour. This doesn’t work as well with older potatoes or dark skinned potatoes.
- wash the potato thoroughly then chop into small pieces and place in your salted water and bring to a boil.
- when potatoes are tender mash as usual. They will be lumpy but that is their rustic look.
- season as you wish.
Personally I like the skin on mashed potatoes prepared with the garlic cloves cooked with them and then mashed in. They taste great with the salt, pepper, nutmeg and butter. I don’t usually add any cream or milk because the beauty of the skin on is also the mealy texture.
No comments:
Post a Comment