The addition of buttermilk to mashed potatoes lends a delicious tang without adding a lot of fat. The recipe is easily doubled or tripled. I also like to add some chopped fresh chives.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 to 2/3 cup buttermilk
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- Dash of cayenne
Preparation:
In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the potatoes until they are very soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain into a colander.
Put the hot potatoes through a ricer or beat with an electric mixer until mashed. (Do not puree in a food processor or you will end up with wallpaper paste.)
Add the butter and beat until melted and smooth. Beat in 1/2 cup buttermilk. If the potatoes are still too thick, beat in the remaining milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until they are of the desired consistency.
Season the mashed potatoes with the salt, pepper and cayenne.
Yield: 4 servings
Author's notes: If you decide to double or even triple this recipe to feed a large party, you may want to cook the potatoes whole in their skins, which saves a lot of fuss and preparation time. Start them off in a large pot of cold water and bring them to a boil. They'll take about 15 minutes longer to cook, but the skins will just slip off when they are done. Buttermilk adds a wonderful tang, and it has only half a percent more fat than skim milk.
Recipe Source: Cooking From a Country Farmhouse by Susan Wyler (Harperperennial Library)
Reprinted with permission.
Put the hot potatoes through a ricer or beat with an electric mixer until mashed. (Do not puree in a food processor or you will end up with wallpaper paste.)
Add the butter and beat until melted and smooth. Beat in 1/2 cup buttermilk. If the potatoes are still too thick, beat in the remaining milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until they are of the desired consistency.
Season the mashed potatoes with the salt, pepper and cayenne.
Yield: 4 servings
Author's notes: If you decide to double or even triple this recipe to feed a large party, you may want to cook the potatoes whole in their skins, which saves a lot of fuss and preparation time. Start them off in a large pot of cold water and bring them to a boil. They'll take about 15 minutes longer to cook, but the skins will just slip off when they are done. Buttermilk adds a wonderful tang, and it has only half a percent more fat than skim milk.
Recipe Source: Cooking From a Country Farmhouse by Susan Wyler (Harperperennial Library)
Reprinted with permission.
