mashed potatoes

[mr_dove]

anyone have a decent mashed potato recipe? I've just been adding adding garlic powder and parsley to taste.

I used to have a little seasoning packet called "mashed potato seasoning" but I can't find it anymore.

[Brian HCM#1]

I like to bake a few fresh cloves of garlic then add them to the potatos then add milk butter, salt and pepper.

[fonseca]

I leave the skin on large baking potatoes, but scrub it somewhat thin before boiling. I chop them into quarters so they'll boil faster.

Then I mash with a handtool, adding garlic paste (Chop up a few cloves, then add coarse salt and rub it into a paste with the side of a knife), fresh cilantro, cream, butter, fresh cracked papper, coarse salt, and some fresh vanilla bean. That sounds weird I know, but the vanilla is what makes it so damned tasty. Vanilla extract doesn't quite have the same result, but I'll use that if it's all I have. It doesn't take much. I learned about that from a cook in a little cuban restaurant after asking why their mashed potatoes were so good.

The less mashed they are the better IMO. I like them to be fairly chunky. I'll use fresh rosemary and basil when I have it. When I'm cooking for pork-loving friends I'll add in some finely-chopped cooked bacon.

I've pretty much switched over to grilling sweet potatoes these days though, or making sweet potato fries. They're much healthier than white potatoes and taste great when done right. And if you soak the uncooked fries in water for a while before frying, they absorb almost no oil.

[Silver]

I like my potatoes smooth...

I have a potato ricer that I like to use. It looks a lot like a huge garlic press. I cut the spuds up into smallish pieces and boil them, skins on. When tender, they get riced, and the skins will come off. Then I throw in fresh roasted garlic, butter, and milk to taste, and whip with a hand mixer. Good stuff. Be careful if you use cream or half and half, you can turn the potatoes into concrete that way.

[narlus]

using a hand mixer can be dangerous too - if you use it too long, it'll break open enough potato cells and the released starch will turn yr mash into glue.

for a different taste, try throwing in some chunks of peeled celeraic into the boiling water along w/ the spuds and mash 'em up.

[DHracer1067]

i hate potaters. they nasty. but nope. dont got no potater recipe. [/end postwhore]

[Brian HCM#1]

Yep, always mash by hand, plus the little chunks rule:thumb:

[TreeSaw]

I :love: taters!!! I usually use red potatos and leave the skins on (I think my mother calls them dirty mashed potatos) and mash them by hand. To make them creamier, I add a little light cream and definately some butter, chives and some garlic. They're definately tasty.

[Tenchiro]

Cutting potatos before beoiling them may cut the cooking time, but they also get waterlogged. If you like them fluffier, leace your taters whole.