What's the best recipe for mashed potato?

Question

...and I don't mean 'add water to Smash'!
I generally boil my potatoes for about twenty minutes until they are so soft that they fall apart at the slightest prick with a fork, then drain them, add a knob of butter and then mash them for about two to three minutes until the now mashed potato is smooth and fluffy.
My nan on the other hand swears by boiling the potatoes for only five minutes and adding pepper and mayonnaise to the mix...yuk!

Answer 1

Eew... the first one is better. The traditional method.

Answer 2

The easiest and best way to make great mashed potatoes is: 1. Boil the potatoes whole until fork tender (about 2 pounds). 2. Press them through a ricer (about $15-20 and so worth it for perfect mashed potatoes) back into the pot (without the heat on). 3. Add 6-8 TB of butter. 4. Stir up the potatoes so that the butter melts. 5. Add about 1/2 cup - 1 cup warmed milk or half and half. Start with 1/2 cup and work your way up to make sure the potatoes don't get soupy - you can always add more. Season liberally with salt and pepper and serve! If you don't want to do whole potatoes to start with, you can cut them up and boil them that way. And if you don't have a ricer (which I cannot recommend enough!) then you can use a masher or food mill. Mixing them with anything electric can be a tricky proposition and you may end up with a gluey mess, so I would stick with mashing by hand. Also, sometimes when I want garlic mashed potatoes, I will throw some cloves of garlic (with skins) in with the potatoes while boiling and then just press them right through the ricer. That way you will have a nice mild garlic flavor in your potatoes for something a little different. Some people keep recommending a potato masher over a ricer. You can certainly use a masher, but the potato ricer will give you silky potatoes without being gluey/soupy or lumpy.

Answer 3

I used small red pot's...scrubbed with skin on. Boil until a fork will just go through them. Drain water. Mash a little, then add butter, sour cream and salt and pepper. Sometimes I will add a few cloves of roasted garlic. I mash until smooth, but not perfect. I want texture. And I LOVE the skin so I keep it on. I use leftover to make pot cakes.

Answer 4

1. 2 pounds large russet potatoes, washed and peeled
2. Kosher salt
3. 1/2 cup whole milk
4. 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
5. Freshly ground pepper

2. In the same saucepan, heat the milk, butter and a pinch of salt and pepper until the milk is steaming. Remove from the heat. Add the potatoes and mash. Season the mashed potatoes to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with your choice of mix-ins.

Yield: 4 servings (Serving size: 4 servings)
3. Still Hungry?

Meet your mash: Mix in bacon and cheddar, garlic and fresh basil or sour cream and chives.
Notes:

MIX-INS

BACON AND CHEDDAR - Before mashing all of the ingredients together, add 3 slices of crisp, crumbled bacon and 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar or other strong-flavored cheese, such as Gruyere or blue cheese.

GARLIC AND FRESH BASIL - Before preparing the potatoes, bring the milk to a low simmer, then add 4 peeled, smashed garlic cloves and cook over low heat for 20 minutes. Before mashing the potatoes, add the garlic, milk and 1/4 cup of chopped fresh basil to the potatoes.

SOUR CREAM AND CHIVES - Before mashing all of the ingredients together, add 1/2 cup of sour cream and 1/4 cup of chopped fresh chives.

Answer 5

Try adding a little pet or carnation milk from the can into your
usual recipe after you mash your potatoes and to make sure
they come out smooth and fluffy use a mixer. Season to taste.
By all means, forget the mayonnaise.. D. B.

Answer 6

I'm with you. I would also add pepper sometimes, or parsley, or some chopped onion and bacon bits, depending on what we're having. Nine times out of ten though, it's just a little butter and nothing else.

BTW, wouldn't the potatoes be hard and lumpy if they're only boiled for five minutes?

Answer 7

I boil my potatoes until the fork slides in easily. I add a large knob of butter & a little milk (occasionally I use a little single cream). My boyfriend on the other hand adds a knob of butter & a beaten egg to his

Answer 8

I do what you do, but add 5 cloves of garlic (cut in half) and a cooking onion (that has been quartered). When the potatoes are cooked through, I then mash them together with butter and add milk until peaks form. I use a hand mixer instead of a masher as this ensures there are no lumps.

Answer 9

OK here is my recipe. Cook your potatoes in boiling water until cooked. While they are cooking add some salt pepper, and garlic seasonings. Once cooked drain water, and mash. Almost forgot, add some onions diced up really fine. As you are mashing them add some butter and sour cream. Taste them, if you need you can add more garlic or other seasonings. Believe me they are GREAT!!!!!

Answer 10

Yuk, pepper and mayo. Boil for 20 minutes as you say then add butter and milk. Mash vigourously until near the texture you desire then add grated cheddar cheese. Mash again and serve immdeiately. Yum.

Answer 11

Here is a recipe from the food network. I have not tried it.

Creamy Mashed Potatoes with Crispy Brown Onions Recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck

2 1/2 pounds Yukon gold or other yellow-fleshed potatoes Salt Vegetable oil, for frying 1/2 pound onions, cut crosswise into thin slices and separated into rings All-purpose flour Pinch freshly grated nutmeg 12 tablespoons (6 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, at room temperature 1/2 cup heavy cream, brought to a boil Freshly ground white pepper Fresh parsley leaves, for garnish Fill a large mixing bowl with cold water. With a swivel-bladed vegetable peeler, peel each potato and remove any "eyes," then cut it in quarters with a sharp knife and put in the bowl of water. Put the potatoes in a large pot and add cold water to cover them. Salt the water. Over high heat, bring the water to a boil, skimming off foam that rises to the surface; then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook the potatoes just until tender enough to be pierced easily with a skewer or a sharp knife tip. While the potatoes are boiling, prepare the onions: In a deep-fryer or a deep, heavy saucepan, heat about 3 inches of oil to 375 degrees F. Lightly dust the onion rings with flour and carefully drop them into the hot oil, cooking them in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding. Fry them until golden, 3 to 5 minutes, removing them with a slotted spoon or wire skimmer to drain on paper towels. Season lightly with salt and keep warm. When the potatoes are done, drain them immediately. Using a ricer or a food mill, puree the potatoes into a mixing bowl. Add the nutmeg, 8 tablespoons of the butter, and the hot cream. With a wooden spoon, stir them into the potatoes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Mound the potatoes in a heated serving bowl. Put the remaining butter in a saucepan or skillet and, over medium-high heat, melt it and continue cooking just until it turns golden brown. Lightly season the butter with salt and immediately drizzle it over the potatoes. Pile the crispy onions on top of the mashed potatoes. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.
Recipe SummaryDifficulty: Medium Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Yield: 6 servings User Rating:

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