I can't start 2008 off without one of my favourite potato recipes. For those of you who know me potatoes could be my life. They are certainly my favourite food group and I have never met a potato I didn't like. I know... I always say that!!! This is also my first favourite recipe of 2008.This is the mashed potato recipe I use whenever I am going to have something with gravy such as turkey or roast beef. It goes so well with anything really and can stand alone if you wish it to. The creaminess of these mashed potatoes comes from the Boursin cheese which also imparts it's delicate garlic flavour to the mash as well. My not so secret method of having really velvety mashed potatoes is to whip them with my hand mixer. These creamy mashed potatoes are a definite winner in our household.
Cooking Light is one of my favourite magazines so here are some tips to make perfect mashed potatoes from Executive Chef Billy Strynkowski. He has six fool-proof tips for making over-the-top mashed potatoes.
1) Firstly, choose tubers with a low water content, such as russet potatoes. The less water, the stronger and more delicious the taste.
2) After peeling, dice your potatoes into one-inch squares to ensure uniform cooking time and make them easier to mash. You can dice them up to a day ahead, store in a bowl of cold water and hold in the refrigerator until ready to boil.
3) Place potatoes in cold water on the stove. Never boil the water first; doing so can cause the spuds to release their starch quicker, which can result in mealy potatoes. Pierce with a fork to check if they are done after boiling.
4) Drain immediately. Leaving them in water too long may yield runny results.
5) Mash and add your favorite ingredients, such as butter, milk and seasonings. In this case Boursin cheese, chives and milk. Room temperature or warmed ingredients can help reduce lumps.
6) Serve the potatoes quickly. Allowing them to cool, or refrigerating and reheating them, can produce a gummy texture.
And the best tip ever courtesy of the industrious and talented Wendy at A Wee Bit of Cooking ....
7) Make more mash than you need so you have leftovers to fry into potato cakes the next day!! :))
**Creamy Mashed Potatoes with Chives**
10 medium size potatoes
1/3 cup snipped chives, about 1 bunch
1 cup milk, preferably 2 per cent or homogenized
2 T butter
1 tsp salt
½ tsp white or freshly ground black pepper
½ cup crumbled peppery or garlic-flavoured Boursin cheese
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Peel potatoes and cut in half. Place in a large saucepan. Cover with warm water. Place over high heat. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce hear to medium-low and boil gently, partially covered, until fork tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, snip chives. Then drain potatoes. Return to saucepan or bowl. Mash using a potato masher or put potatoes through a ricer. (The not so secret way for me to mash my potatoes is to whip them with my hand mixer into a creamy and delicious mass). Heat milk in microwave on high 2 minutes. Stir into potatoes with butter, salt, pepper, chives and Boursin cheese. If potatoes are not warm enough, stir over medium-low heat or microwave on medium.
Serves 8 - 10
