Ireland | France | United States | Vegetables | Potatoes

Mashed Potatoes

(Irish & American potato puree)

Yield: 4-6 servings


INGREDIENTS PREP AMOUNT
Potatoes, baking or russet washed 2 to 2 1/2 lbs
Butter melted 6-8 Tbsp
Half-and-half hot 3/4 to 1 cup
Salt 2 tsp
White pepper 1/2 tsp

METHOD

Basic Steps:  Boil → Rice or Mash → Mix
  1. Put the whole potatoes in a large pot and cover by 1" with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook 20-30 minutes till potatoes are cooked through. A sharp knife should easily pierce through the potatoes.
  2. Drain the potatoes in a colander. Cool slightly, peel and chop coarsely.
  3. Put the potatoes through a food mill or ricer, or mash with a potato masher. Stir in the melted butter. Next stir in the cream, salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

VARIATIONS

  • Garlic Mashed Potatoes: mash one head of roasted garlic with the potatoes. To roast garlic, toss a whole unpeeled head of garlic with a little oil and place in a 500º oven for 20-30 minutes till soft. Cut in half horizontally and squeeze out the roasted garlic. Alternatively, 6-8 cloves of garlic may be boiled and then mashed with the potatoes.
  • Smashed Potatoes: roughly mash the potatoes leaving large chunks. Popular in New England.
  • Champ (Ireland): Chop one bunch of scallions and simmer with the half-and-half for about 5 minutes. Stir into the potatoes. Top the potatoes with a big dollop of butter.
  • Colcannon (Ireland): Sauté 1 bunch of chopped scallions, or 1 minced onion, and 1 bunch of chopped kale, or 1/2 head shredded cabbage, with 2-3 Tbsp butter till wilted and softened. Stir into the mashed potatoes. Colcannon is traditionally served on Halloween in Ireland with a coin and a ring mixed in. Whoever gets served the ring will be married soon.  The finder of the coin can expect wealth.
  • Pommes Duchesse (France): Eliminate the cream and use half the butter. Mix 2-3 beaten egg yolks into the potatoes. Pipe the potatoes into a baking dish or as decorative portions onto a baking sheet. Bake in a 400º oven till lightly browned. Used to accompany roasts.
  • The potatoes may be peeled and chopped into chunks before boiling. But make sure not to cover the pot, and let the potatoes dry somewhat after draining. This keeps them from soaking up too much water which can make them gummy.
  • For a change of flavor, boil one or two peeled, chopped parsnips, carrots or sweet potatoes with the potatoes. Proceed with the recipe.
  • Sometimes the potatoes are left unpeeled for a different texture and flavor. Nutrients are also conserved.
  • Other possible additions: chopped fresh herbs, shredded cheddar cheese, horseradish, wasabi, crumbled bacon, pesto, truffles.

NOTES

  • Mashed potatoes are a very popular element of both Irish and American meals, particularly with roast beef and poultry and with fried chicken. The basic recipe arrived on American shores with Irish immigrants in the 1800s. Mashed potatoes are often topped with a dollop of butter or a richly flavored pan gravy.
  • The potato most commonly used for mashed potatoes is the mealy russet. But many chefs and cooks swear by the Yukon gold for its buttery color and flavor. Waxy or boiling potatoes should not be used as they become gummy when mashed. Overmashing or using a food processor can also make the potatoes gummy.
  • Mashed potatoes are also served in Germany where they are known as Kartoffelbrei, or Kartoffelpuree.