Mash, Mash, Mash

From my Petaluma Post column: (ok, I'm a little tardy on posting again...oops)

What is the favorite dish at your holiday meal?  With my family it is the mashed potatoes.  Rich creamy buttery mashed potatoes plus lots of gravy.  One of the nice things about mashed potatoes is how simple they are and how well they hold.  It is a great dish to take to potlucks and office dinners.  They can be basic, fancy or speak to old regional traditions.

Let’s start with the basics.  What potato to mash?  There are two potatoes that we often use, Russet Potatoes and Yukon Golds.  I grew up on Russet potatoes, they make a nice light fluffy mashed potato.  They tend to be a bit dryer and take milk and butter well.  I wash and peel the potatoes, cut them into even pieces, usually thirds, cover with water and boil until tender.  Russets should be drained immediately.  If you are not going to mash immediately you can hold them drained on the back of the stove for 30 to 45 minutes.  Mash with butter, milk, salt and pepper.

Yukon Golds also make great mashed potatoes; they have a firmer texture and are a bit creamier.  Yukons are not usually peeled so they have a bit more of a rustic look.  The skins are tender enough to eat without difficulty.  Again, cut the potatoes into even pieces, cover with water and boil until fork tender.  However these can be held in their water for 20 to 30 minutes until you get to the mashing.  Milk, butter, salt and pepper are the traditional additions.

Mashed potatoes hold very well; if traveling or simply needing to hold them, place them in an ice chest wrapped in plastic and a table cloth to keep them warm and moist.  They will hold hot for up to 2 hours and free up space in your oven.  One trick that we use for the catering company to hold them in the oven is to cover them with plastic wrap and then foil.  The plastic wrap will keep the moisture in, and the foil will keep the plastic wrap from melting.

Now let’s get creative… when I married my husband I was a potato purest.  Don’t mess with the mash.  My mother-in-law always added carrots to hers for color.  By adding just 2 to 3 carrots at boiling, and finishing normally the carrots add a touch of sweetness and color.

There are others that can be fun too.  Yams are a great way to go.  Instead of boiling, just puncture the skin with a fork and bake on a sheet pan.  The sugars will dip out, once tender, allow to cool and then the peels will come right off.  Try mashing with just a bit of butter and brown sugar.  Great to serve with ham and turkey.

One more to try is cauliflower, with the gluten free trend (yes potatoes are gluten free too) this wonderful vegetable is getting tons of interest.

1 head cauliflower, cut up into 2 to 3” pieces

6 cup water

2 Tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper

Bring water to a boil, and add the cauliflower, boil until very tender.  Drain well, this holds a lot of water, so make sure to shake it to help drain properly.  Then return to the pot, mash, and add olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.

Now that you have mashes down, think about some add-ins.  Grated cheeses are great, you can add texture and flavor; chèvre adds a full flavor, sharp white cheddar is a favorite of mine.  For a rich and decadent variation try substituting mascarpone for the milk.  Roasted garlic can be used to add great creaminess when pureed and mixed in.  Fresh herbs can be added at the last minute for color and flavor.

One of my favorites is the addition of browned butter.  Brown butter is a French method that browns the solid bits in the butter.  It will greatly intensify the butter flavors; I love this approach. Place the butter in a thick sauce pan, melt and bring up to a boil, and immediately turn the heat down to medium.  Continue cooking until the butter begins to turn brown.  Take to a medium color, and remove from the heat.

For more options see my blog (blog.SonomaCaterers.com).  I love potatoes and other root vegetables and over the years have put quite few recipes out there that would be great for the holidays, or just the winter months.  When you get there try searching for “potato” or “yam” to find some good options.  Or search for “Tourtiere Stuffing” to find hubby’s Ganny’s traditional French-Canadian mashed potatoes which includes sausage.

So the next time you are asked to bring a dish, just say yes to the mash! Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

One Potato, Two Potato

Here's my September column from the Petaluma Post. Enjoy...

No, no, there are many more than two kinds!  Have you recently taken the time to look at potatoes at your

Potato Gratin

farmers’ market?  Are they red, yellow or blue?  Are they Russian or Yukon or whatever?  What ever happened to the traditional russet?  Let me help you through at least a few of the many thousands of kinds of potatoes that are out there.

The first thing to learn about is starch.  This is important for how each kind of potato is best used.  Are you making a salad?  You need a boiling potato, which typically contains approximately 16-18% starch.  This means that they will hold together after boiling, cutting and mixing.  For that light and fluffy baked potato you want a more floury or mealy (baking) potato which has more starch (20–22%) .  This is better for roasting and for baking, and also for making gnocchi.

We are lucky locally to have several farmers growing a large variety of potatoes.  Some of my favorites are Yukon Gold for mashing, Baby Red for salad, Idaho Russet for baking (it was created by our own Luther Burbank!), Russian Banana for roasting and most of all Yellow Finns for roasting wedges.  Yellow fin are my favorite.

A few years ago at home when we planted a potato bed, we put in several varieties and waited to see what would come up.  It was almost like an Easter egg hunt when it came time for harvest.  We missed a few little ones and a plant two comes up every year, and I always find the mystery potatoes to be a fun treat.

Herb Dijon Potato Salad with Roasted Red Peppers

Serves 10-15

3 lbs small red potatoes

2 red bell peppers

6 stalks celery- diced

½ bunch Italian parsley, chopped

¼ cup whole grain Dijon mustard

¼ cup sherry vinegar

½ cup olive oil

 Salt and pepper to taste

Place the potatoes in a pot large enough to cover with 3” of water, then cover with cold water and boil until tender, testing with the tip of a knife.  Drain and allow to cool completely, then slice into bite size pieces. 

Roast the red peppers by placing under the broiler or over the gas burner, blacken on all sides.  Afterward place the peppers in a plastic bag to sweat for 5-10 minutes, and then the skins should slip right off (a nice chef’s trick).  Finally cut into julienne strips

Combine all ingredients, and you may serve either warm or chilled.  If preparing ahead, withhold the parsley till serving, to keep it from wilting and add a pop of color.

Potato Gratin

Serves 8-10

3 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

8 oz grated parmesan

½ tsp thyme

1 tsp salt and pepper

¼ cup olive oil

Thinly sliced the potatoes, rinse in cold water, and drain well.  Combine all ingredients and place on and edged baking sheet, spreading evenly.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes until golden and knife tip tender.

Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes

Served 4-6

2 lbs yukon gold potatoes

4 oz butter

½ cup ½ & ½

Salt and pepper to taste

Cut potatoes to uniform size, cover with cold water and boil till tender. 

Brown butter is a French method that browns the solid bits in the butter.  It will greatly intensify the butter flavors; I love this approach. Place the butter in a thick sauce pan, melt and bring up to a boil, and immediately turn the heat down to medium.  Continue cooking until the butter begins to turn brown.  Take to a medium color, and remove from the heat.

Drain the potatoes, mash by hand or machine, add the butter, then the half and half.  Season with salt and pepper.

If you would like a few more creative potato recipes or would like to know the difference between a sweet potato and yam, see my blog (blog.sonomacaterers.com) and search for “potato”.