by David Maciel
Sponsored by Ray’s Food Place, Furber Plaza
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It’s the gathering of family and friends to enjoy a wonderful meal. If you’re like me, I’m really a stickler about mashed potatoes. It’s a relatively easy recipe but there are a few key ingredients and processes that can make the potatoes go from good to wow!!
Mashed Potatoes
I like to use Yukon gold potatoes, but Russet potatoes work just fine. Warming the dairy products is a key component. It prevents starch seizing – cold milk or butter hitting hot potatoes causes the starch molecules to tighten and turn gluey or sticky. Adding sour cream will give the potatoes a creamy texture. That’s the wow part!
Ingredients
• 3 pounds Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes (peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks)
• ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), plus extra for serving
• ½ to 1 cup whole milk or half-and-half (warm)
• 1½ teaspoons sea salt (plus extra for the boiling water
• 3 cloves garlic (optional, peeled)
• Freshly ground black pepper or white pepper (to taste)
• ¼ to ½ cup sour cream (optional, for extra richness)
Instructions
- Place the potato chunks and garlic cloves into a large pot and cover them with cold water by about 1 inch. Add a generous tablespoon of salt to the water.
- Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium. Gently boil for 15 to 20 minutes until you can easily pierce the potatoes with a fork.
- Drain the potatoes well in a colander, shake off excess water, and return them to the hot pot for 1 to 2 minutes to let extra moisture evaporate.
- While the potatoes cook, gently heat the butter and milk (or half-and-half) together in a small saucepan until the butter melts.
- Mash the hot potatoes by hand using a potato masher or potato ricer. Gradually pour in the warm milk and butter mixture while gently mashing until smooth and creamy. Avoid overmixing to keep the texture light instead of gummy.
- Stir in the sour cream, salt, and black pepper to taste. Top with extra butter or fresh chives or parsley before serving.