Last Thanksgiving, Dad #4 (Dryw’s step-dad Bill) asked us to bring mashed potatoes to our holiday gathering. I had never made mashed potatoes before, but I always like a new challenge in the kitchen! I was listening to NPR’s Morning Edition on the way to work, as I most often do, and just barely caught the piece on giving that holiday meal a twist: whipped potatoes.
I realize that it’s not even close to Thanksgiving, but you don’t have to wait until then to try this!
I’m posting this now because I made it again on Easter to go with a beef roast. This time, I added garlic to the milk and butter mixture, which was delicious! Just make sure to whip these potatoes till they are smooth and fluffy (probably longer than the suggested 2 minutes)! I mistakenly left them a little lumpy the second time. If you don’t have a stand-up mixer, get one! I’m sure your electric mixer will do the trick, as well. The beauty of this recipe is that it takes a lot less elbow grease than your classic mashed taters. So, give it a chance.
“If you're tired of that dry, bland potato-y lump, get a weightless potato texture by whipping -- rather than mashing. According to Kimball, one of the settings on the 1930s Sunbeam Mixmaster was whipped potatoes, which has become a lost recipe.
I realize that it’s not even close to Thanksgiving, but you don’t have to wait until then to try this!
I’m posting this now because I made it again on Easter to go with a beef roast. This time, I added garlic to the milk and butter mixture, which was delicious! Just make sure to whip these potatoes till they are smooth and fluffy (probably longer than the suggested 2 minutes)! I mistakenly left them a little lumpy the second time. If you don’t have a stand-up mixer, get one! I’m sure your electric mixer will do the trick, as well. The beauty of this recipe is that it takes a lot less elbow grease than your classic mashed taters. So, give it a chance.
“If you're tired of that dry, bland potato-y lump, get a weightless potato texture by whipping -- rather than mashing. According to Kimball, one of the settings on the 1930s Sunbeam Mixmaster was whipped potatoes, which has become a lost recipe.
Ingredients
- 4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- Serves 8 to 10
Instructions
- Cook Potatoes: Place cut potatoes in colander. Rinse under cold water until water runs clear, about 1 minute. Drain potatoes. Fill Dutch oven with 1 inch water. Bring water to boil. Place steamer basket in Dutch oven and fill with potatoes. Reduce heat to medium and cook, covered, until potatoes are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
- Warm Dairy: Heat milk, butter, salt, and pepper in small saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking until smooth, about 3 minutes; cover and keep warm.
- Whip Potatoes: Pour contents of Dutch oven into colander and return potatoes to dry pot. Stir over low heat until potatoes are thoroughly dried, about 1 minute. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, break potatoes into small pieces on low speed, about 30 seconds. Add milk mixture in steady stream until incorporated. Increase speed to high and whip until potatoes are light and fluffy and no lumps remain, about 2 minutes. Serve.”
This recipe and other twists on Thanksgiving classics can be found at NPR.org
The actual key to light and fluffy is in the heating of the dairy. If you subject the cooked potatoes to dry heat (the cold rinse is not necessary) for a moment after you drain them, and then mash and add warm milk, the end result will be light and fluffy, without the whipping. In fact, with ingredients at the wrong temperatures, whipped potatoes can be gluey and nasty.
ReplyDeleteI will keep this in mind when the fall comes around! It's too hot right now to even think about warm whipped potatoes. Thanks for the tip :)
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