Mashed Potatoes

[Ivan Kipling]

Fabienne, I have the same selection, although lately COSTCO has been stocking what they're terming: gourmet potatoes. These spuds are small, varied in shape, and of different varities. They're delicious, but time consuming to peel.
Also . . . I've had trouble finding good potatoes, period, for a couple of years. Not sure why. Oftentimes, they're of poor quality. I end up throwing many of them into my compost heap.

I'll have to post a recipe for SCORDALIA. Oh, is that delicious! I avoid eating it, because the garlic smell clings forever, but with fish, scordalia is out of this world. I'm going to church tonight; scordalia will in evidence. Everyone's 'fasting.' Fish, bread, scordalia. The trick is not to gain ten pounds during Holy Week.

Todd, Jesse, Chas . . . those recipes, sound great.
horton, thanks for the hint.

 

[Ivan Kipling]

. . . this looks like a pretty good recipe, for skordalia. Excellent with fish, veggies, or lamb. Serve with crusty bread.
http://www.recipezaar.com/142235

 

[Stu]

Originally Posted by drizzt3117

The best mashed potatoes I've ever had were red potatoes. The place that made them (a now defunct steakhouse in Cincinnati) changed their recipe from normal potatoes because they were supposed to have more flavor, and indeed they did.

Generally red potatoes are far superior to whites for use in liquid -- ie in soups, stews and mashed. Whites, because of their higher starch content, are prefereable to reds for frying and baking.

 

[Stu]

Originally Posted by chas

Lately I have been adding parsnips to my mashed potatoes. I recommend a ratio of 3 to 1 - potatoes to parsnips. They add an extra layer of flavor that is great and they can be used in any type of preperation.


Turnips are great too. I once did just straight mashed turnips. They have a more pronounced flavor than potatoes.

 

[ChicagoRon]

Originally Posted by Stu

Turnips are great too. I once did just straight mashed turnips. They have a more pronounced flavor than potatoes.

I once had a dish of sea-scallops w/ salt & pepper over a puree of macomber turnips w/ a drizzle of truffle oil and it is still one of the best bites of food I've ever eaten. I tried to replicate it once, and had difficulty acchieving the propper fluffy consistency in the turnip. I believe it's because I boiled instead of roasting. Any tips, Stu?

 

[tattersall]

Originally Posted by Stu

Turnips are great too. I once did just straight mashed turnips. They have a more pronounced flavor than potatoes.

Turnips always seem to have a bitterness to them that I find unappealing but I think the very young ones can be nice. Another good root to mash is celery-root (celeriac). We make a gratin of half celery-root and half potato with lots of cream, butter, garlic and parsley then topped with a bit of gruyere - yum!

 

[ruben]

I like adding roasted garlic to my mashed pots.

 

[Ivan Kipling]

roasted garlic is a great flavoring, period. Less volatile than raw or sauteed garlic. Fantastic, spread on bread. I use a pan to toast garlic, too.

 

[lawyerdad]

Originally Posted by Fabienne

On the subject of potatoes: Do people in other parts of the US have as few choices as I do in my local stores? The russet, the Idaho, the red and the Yukon, that's all usually, none of them all that palatable, except for the Yukon, perhaps.

In the supermarkets, yes. Our local Sunday Farmer's Market has a nice selection, though.

 

[Stu]

Originally Posted by ChicagoRon

I once had a dish of sea-scallops w/ salt & pepper over a puree of macomber turnips w/ a drizzle of truffle oil and it is still one of the best bites of food I've ever eaten. I tried to replicate it once, and had difficulty acchieving the propper fluffy consistency in the turnip. I believe it's because I boiled instead of roasting. Any tips, Stu?

Not really, I think boiling should work. I use a mixer for this sort of thing and it does wonders, as it whips air into the vegetables. That might help.

 

[robbie]

I am a college student and sort of stumbled upon this once when i was experimenting.

4 red potatoes
1/4 stick butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1or2 tbsp of kens steakhouse sweet vidalia onion light

I was out of milk, and thought i'd add some ranch dressing just for ***** and giggles... we were also out of ranch dressing so I added the vidalia onion dressing and presto... best damn mashed potatoes i've made in quite some time.

robbie

 

[Bandwagonesque]

To make the best mashed potatoes, one needs a ricer.

 

[robbie]

Originally Posted by Bandwagonesque

To make the best mashed potatoes, one needs a ricer.

at first i read this and thought you were using the word 'ricer' as an ethnic slur... then i realised you probably meant a rice cooker.

robbie

 

[Bandwagonesque]

Originally Posted by robbie

at first i read this and thought you were using the word 'ricer' as an ethnic slur... then i realised you probably meant a rice cooker.

robbie

 

[Huntsman]

Originally Posted by Bandwagonesque

To make the best mashed potatoes, one needs a ricer.

+100, nothing gets the texture better.