Best Extraordinary Potatoes Recipes

MASHED POTATOES EXTRAORDINAIRE

Steps:

• Cook potatoes as usual in salted water until tender. Drain. Push through potato ricer.
• Add cream cheese in pieces. Add next 5 ingredients. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Scrape into a 2 qt casserole.
• Place dabs of butter here and there over the top of the potatoes. Sprinkle with paprika. Cover and heat in 350 F oven until heated through (about 30-45 minutes, depending whether you've made it ahead and have taken it from the fridge).

EXTRAORDINARY POTATOES

Steps:

• 1. Cook potatoes in salted water until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain. Mash.
• 2. Add cream cheese in pieces. Add next 5 ingredients. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Put into a 3 quart casserole. Make indentations with back of spoon. Put a dab of butter in each indentation. Sprinkle with paprika.
• 3. Ahead: After putting potatoes in casserole, dot with butter and cool slightly, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Take out of refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, covered at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until very hot in center. .
• 4. Same day: Heat in a 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes or until heated through.
• 5. Potatoes can be reheated in a slow cooker. Take potatoes out of refrigerator about 3-1/2 hours before serving. Put in slow cooker. Dot with butter. Cook on low heat for 3 hours, stirring once or twice. They can be held an additional 30 minutes.

EXTRA-CRISPY PARMESAN-CRUSTED ROASTED POTATOES

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to center position and heat to 425 degrees, or 400 degrees if using convection. (Convection is recommended, if available.) Combine potato chunks, 2 quarts water, baking soda and salt in a large saucepan.
• Cut a 10-by-10-inch square out of cheesecloth and place bay leaves, peppercorns, garlic cloves and herb sprigs in the center. Gather up the corners of the cloth into a pouch, and tie off with butcher's twine. Add bundle to the pot with potatoes, and set over high heat. Bring to a boil, and cook until you can poke a knife into a larger chunk of potato without any resistance, about 10 minutes after the water comes to a boil.
• Drain potatoes in a colander and discard aromatic bundle. Line a 13-by-18-inch rimmed aluminum baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Transfer potatoes to a large bowl. Add melted butter and Parmesan. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Toss and fold with a rubber spatula until Parmesan, butter and starch form a slurry over the surface of the potatoes, about 30 seconds. Transfer potatoes to the prepared baking sheet and spread out so they are mostly separated from one another. (At this point, they can be allowed to cool, then transferred to a sealed container and stored in the refrigerator until ready to roast.)
• Transfer baking sheet to oven and roast potatoes until pale golden brown and sizzling on the bottom, about 20 minutes. Flip potatoes using a thin metal spatula and continue roasting until crisp and blond-gold on most sides, about 15 to 20 minutes longer. (Check frequently toward the end, and don't allow the potatoes to cook beyond a deep gold, or they will turn bitter.)
• Remove potatoes from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes on the pan before transferring to a serving platter.