Mashed potato tips and hints
* Never over-beat or use a food processor. You will end up with glue.
* Before mashing by hand, use an up and down motion rather than a
stirring motion
to keep from breaking down the cells into a gummy paste.
* When adding milk or cream to mashed potatoes, heat milk just to the
simmer, but
do not boil.
* Butter should be at room temperature before adding to mashed
potatoes.
* Use buttermilk instead of milk or cream. It gives a tangy, sour cream
flavor with
less calories and fat.
* Whipping cream adds richness to mashers. To add airiness, whip cream
until stiff
and fold into potatoes just before serving.
* For parties or large gatherings, make your
mashed potatoes ahead of time
.
* Use a crockpot to keep mashed potatoes warm and free up your stove.
* Recycle leftover mashed potatoes by placing them in a buttered baking
dish and
top with a mixture of buttered bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Bake at
375 degrees
F. until warmed and top is browned, about 30 minutes.
* For calorie and fat-control, use fat-free chicken or vegetable broth
in place
of milk products in mashed potatoes.
* Leftover mashed potatoes make a wonderful thickener for soups, stews,
and sauces.
* Most root vegetables are great candidates for potato mashing
partners. Try mixing
potatoes with sweet potatoes, yams, parsnips, rutabagas, turnips, celery
root, carrots,
onions, garlic, or whatever sounds good to you. Cook and mash together.
* Likewise, your favorite herbs give mashed potatoes a gourmet touch.
Add the chopped
herbs to the hot mashed potatoes and gently fold in.
* Leftover mashed potatoes can be frozen in an airtight container or
ziptop bag
for up to ten months.
* Save the potato cooking water to add to yeast breads. The yeast feeds
on the starch.
Leftover mashed potatoes also make
great bread
.
* Substitute mashed potatoes for flour in your favorite pancake recipe
for potato
pancakes. Add sauteed minced minced onions or onion powder for added
flavor.
* Don't store raw potatoes in the refrigerator. Cold turns the starches
to sugar.
* One pound or 3 medium-sized potatoes will make 2 cups mashed
potatoes.
* Potatoes should be cut into uniform slices or cubes so that all cook
evenly.
* Begin cooking with potatoes completely submersed in cold salted
water.
* After draining, return potatoes to pot and shake over heat to remove
any remaining
moisture before mashing or ricing.
* Mash potatoes to desired consistency before adding any liquids. Once
you add liquid,
it sets the texture.
* When leaving the skins on, be sure to cut the potatoes in smaller
pieces so you
don't end up with large chunks of skin.
* To add a smoky flavor to mashed potatoes, add a smoked ham hock,
slice of bacon
or sausage to the pot and bring to a boil. After cooking for 5 minutes,
add potatoes
and cook until potatoes are fork tender. Pick out the meat, drain
potatoes and proceed
with mashing. Save the drained liquid and meat to make soup.
* Use mashed potatoes as a decorative yet tasty touch to baked
casseroles. Add a
lightly beaten egg to the mashed potatoes and force through a piping bag
on top of
the dish before baking.
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