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Perfect Mashed Potatoes

Source of Recipe

From "Real Cajun" by Donald Link


Recipe Introduction

"It's hard to find anyone who doesn't like mashed potatoes when they're chock-full of butter, salt, and cream, yet still light and ethereal. They're a guilty pleasure to be sure, especially when smothered with a rich giblet gravy. I think the most common mistakes people make in preparing mashed potatoes is to under- or overcook the potatoes, or stir them too vigorously, causing the potatoes to become gummy. The goal is to *slightly* overcook the potatoes so that they crumble when pressed with the back of a fork. The potato should look light and starchy when it crumbles, not wet and dense. When you drain the potatoes, let them sit in the colander to air-dry, and let the butter soften for a minute on the potatoes before mashing. I love salt in my potatoes, which is why I have called for 1 tablespoon. If you want to be cautious, use only 2 teaspoons and adjust on your plate if you want more."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 14 tablespoons (1 ¾ sticks) butter
â—¦ 4 large russet potatoes (about 2 pounds)
â—¦ ½ cup half-and-half
â—¦ 1 tablespoon salt
â—¦ Scant ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper


Recipe

Cut the butter into ½-inch pieces and set aside so it softens and comes to room temperature.

Peel the potatoes and cut them into ¾ inch cubes. Place the potatoes in a medium pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until a chunk of potato crumbles when placed on a cutting board and pressed gently with a fork. Drain the potatoes in a colander and let them air-dry for 5 minutes until they start to appear somewhat chalky on the outside.

In a small saucepan, gently heat the half-and-half until it's just warmed through. Remove from the heat. Return the potatoes to the same pot you cooked them in (it's warm and will not cool down the potatoes). Add the softened butter and let it sit for another minute, to further soften. Add the salt and pepper and, using a whisk, smash the potatoes in an up-and-down motion, to begin mashing them.

Once the butter starts to be incorporated into the potatoes, add the half-and-half and continue to mash gently, moving the whisk side to side and around the pot. Mix only until the potatoes look smooth, and then stop (this should not be more than 20 seconds total.) Serve immediately, or cover to keep warm until you are ready to serve.

Serves 4 to 6