Good mashed potatoes are firm but not dry, smooth and not grainy, and taste as much of potatoes than they do of butter or cream. Rather than the grainy but ubiquitous russet potatoes, I like to use to use the creamier Yukon Gold potatoes for the beautiful yellow color they give my mashers. It goes without saying that you shouldn’t wait until your potatoes are cold to mash them, and you shouldn’t put them in a food processor — if you do you’ll end up with something with the texture of raw bread dough.
A food mill works great for mashers but so does a potato ricer, a whisk or a fork.
Season your potato water before you cook your mashers. Add a little buttermilk or sour cream for a hint of tanginess and a handful of scallions to give them some zip. J.B.
Scallion mashed potatoes
Recipe by John Broening. Serves 12.
Ingredients
8 fist–sized Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
2/3 pound (1
2/3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 cups chopped scallions
Freshly ground pepper
Directions
Place the potatoes in a large pot. Add water just to cover, salt and bring to a boil. Cook at a steady simmer until the potatoes are very tender and easily pierced with a fork.
Drain the potatoes well and pass through a ricer into the empty cooking pot. Fold in the softened butter, buttermilk and scallions. Taste, then season with freshly ground pepper and more salt if necessary. Serve immediately.
