SMOOTH AND LIGHT MASHED POTATOES

SMOOTH AND LIGHT MASHED POTATOES image

Categories Potato

Yield 8 to 10 people

Number Of Ingredients 12

5 lb (2.3 kg) baking or russet potatoes, peeled and quartered or halved, depending on size
1 1/2 cups warm homo or 2 percent milk
1/4 cup melted butter
salt and white pepper to taste
thinly sliced green onion or chopped fresh parsley, to taste
Optional:
Garlic Mashed Potatoes:
Peel and slice 6 to 12 large cloves, depending on taste. Add the garlic to the pot with the potatoes. Keep garlic when you drain the potatoes.
Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes:
To make tangy, buttermilk-flavoured mashed potatoes, replace the milk in the recipe with an equal amount of buttermilk warmed.
Whipped Potatoes:
To make this even lighter, after mixing the butter and milk, use an electric beater, or a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment, and whip the potatoes until very light and almost fluffy.

Steps:

Place the potatoes in a large pot. Cover with at least two inches of cold water. Bring potatoes to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat until the potatoes simmer gently. Simmer until very tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes well. Thoroughly mash the potatoes with a potato masher. Or, if desired, transfer potatoes to the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and use that machine to mash them. Now vigorously mix in the milk and butter until potatoes are light and smooth. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper Note: Warm the milk and melted butter in the microwave and then add to potatoes.