(As prepared by Alex Tuller for the May 25, 2006 podcast)
Our ingredient this week is garlic chives. You can use normal chives too for this, but I just installed a nice bunch of garlic chives in my garden, thanks to Leslie, and I thought I ought to use them.
You can use just about any potato you like for mashed potatoes, don’t pay any heed to those people who say only a certain kind of potato should be used for mashing. It is a bunch of hooey. They just make different kinds of mashed potatoes and whether you like one taste or texture or another, is just a matter of preference. Now, I will say that if you want to make a traditional French style pomme puree, then you will need to pay attention to the most excellent chef’s of the world. For us, here and now, it is about the everyday mashed potato.
4-6 medium potatoes with skin on
4-6 T Butter
1/2-3/4 cup Milk or half & half, warmed
Salt
Handful of garlic chives, washed and chopped fine
Place the potatoes in a large pot of salted cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling reduce to a steady rolling boil, partially covering them with the lid to keep all the water from evaporating. In about 30 minutes test for doneness. You want them tender, drain them and let them sit for a few minutes until they are cool enough to pull the skin off (unless you’re making dirty potatoes, then leave the skin on).
Immediately add the butter and a little bit of milk and salt and pepper and garlic chives and using a potato masher. Gradually add the milk until you reach the consistency you like. If you use an electric mixer, be very careful to not overmix, it’ll break down the potatoes into a gluey mess.
At this point either serve them immediately, or create a double boiler and keep them over a very gently simmering pot of water, and occasionally gently stirring them until you are ready to serve.
If you are in a rush, you can boil water skin the potatoes and cut them into large chunks. Boil them until tender then drain them and let them dry out a bit before proceeding with the recipe. This takes less time, but the overall consistency of the dish is not quite as nice.
Enjoy!