The Perfect Mashed Potato?

Stephen_Leak

New potatoes make rubbish mashed potato. Use old ones like King Edward’s or Desiree Reds.

For 375g of potatoes, which should serve 2 ...

Peel the potatoes and chop into quarters. Boil in a saucepan with 250ml of water and ½ a teaspoon of salt* for 20 to 25 minutes until soft. Drain the potatoes and mash with ½ a tablespoon of butter and ½ a tablespoon of milk until it is smooth and lump free. Season with ground pepper.

* Yes, I know that salt is currently the "ingredient from hell", but mashed potato is one dish where it is still absolutely necessary.

PS. However, if you are doing mashed potato for East End Pie, Mash 'n' Liquor, different rules apply and you don't use posh & expensive ingredients like butter, milk or pepper.

spendthrift66

Bambam wrote: »

I use King Edward Potatoes or Maris Piper (floury potato rather than waxy texture). Boil gently until softened, drain, put back into saucepan, add a big knob of butter and an egg yolk. Mash with ye olde fashioned masher. Next ingredient is a large helping of elbow grease. I use a wooden spoon and go hell for leather whipping it for all its worth. Result? Creamy, smooth, scrumdiddlyumptious mashed potato :j

Totally agree - this is my method (minus the egg yolk plus milk). Mash with masher then ELBOW GREASE as above hell for leather whipping WHILST BACK ON low heat - marvellously airy fairy light and lovely potatoes! Yum yum!!!

iwilldoitthistime

Hi

this is probably a REALLY stupid question, but Im new to all this, so bear with me!

I have been really inspired by this board, so am making an attempt at tinned salmon fishcakes and corned beef and potato pie (trying to clear the tin cupboard while Im on!)

Ive boiled the chopped potatoes, but I cant seem to get all the lumps out when I mash them? Could I use a hand blender to smooth them out, or will it make it watery? Should I add milk or butter before I mix the potato with the salmon/corned beef? Should I cook the onion before I mix it in?

apologies for the probably basic questions :A

thanks

Penelope_Penguin

Noooooooooooooooo, don't use a hand blender - that breaks down the starch and will make the mash sticky. Get a decent masher, and keep at it. Or persuade your family to love lumpy mash - plenty do

Penny. x

HypnoNu

Hi!
don't put the mashed potato througha blender, it does somehting funny to the texture and makes it all slimy and gluey, then you'll end up binning the lot, i normally keep mashing until i'm happy with the texture and I would add a little milk & butter as it helps with the mashing and getting the texture right. If you're still not happy with the lumpiness it might be worth you investing in a potato ricer, they're very good at getting very smooth mash (it's what all the posh chefs use!)

Good luck with the recipes, I'm sure they'll be yummy!

FairyElephant_2

Hiya,

I prefer my mash 'creamed' (with no lumps at all!) so what I do is:

When potatoes are almost done, put butter (or substitute) in a bowl with a drop of milk (and usually some mustard powder as we like mustard mash) and heat in the microwave so the 'butter' melts and the milk gets nice and hot.

You could also do this carefully over the top of the pan you are boiling the potatoes in - that's what I do on holidays with no microwave!

Tip the drained potatoes into the bowl and go at them with the food mixer! (NOT a blender - a food-mixer with two metal 'balloon whisk' type arms IYSWIM - sorry if that is too basic, but you did say you were a newbie!). I think this was a Delia Smith tip I picked up years ago.

My DH actually prefers mash done by hand with the masher, including a few lumps, so sometimes I indulge him........

HTH,

FE

iwilldoitthistime

thanks for the replies. Seems like it was a close call withe the blender. Ive persevered with the masher so hopefully any lumps that are left will be hidden in the other ingredients, rather than really obvious in pure mash!

Onward and upward - its cheese scones after this, so no doubt I'll be back with more stupid questions. Really enjoying this though, so hopefully it will be a sucess and I'll keep going!

thanks again x

Zazen999

Definitely don't blend them!

My trick is to pour the water out when they are half done, and finish the cooking with a bit of milk and butter/marge. Turn the heat down though or the bottom will burn. Then, just keep mashing, or use a hand whisk, and the hard lumps will cook out. Also add the salt/pepper at this stage so that it all gets mixed in and you can taste as you go.

It adds a bit more time on, but you do get lovely creamy mash. Probably the same-ish method as the microwave one but we don't have a microwave any more.

I don't do meat or fish, but I'd always cook the onion down before adding it on a mash potato based dish - it adds loads of flavour.

iwilldoitthistime

thanks - funny thing is, I dont do meat or fish either, but the others in my family do, so Im making it for them. Ive found some mature cheese and have seriously done too much potato, so think I might use some up with a cheese, potato and onion pie. Dont know if it will work, but only I will know

Hope the others turn out ok without me tasting them - I just remember my mum saying that corned beef and potato pie needs loads of S&P, so here goes!

thriftlady_2

Penelope_Penguin wrote: »

Noooooooooooooooo, don't use a hand blender - that breaks down the starch and will make the mash sticky.

I tried it once and can confirm that it does not produce mash, but if you ever need glue you're laughing:D

I have never managed to produce lump free mash- ever. I will follow Zazen's advice though