Welcome to Blogmas Day 11! As we move steadily towards the Big Day, I am sure our collective thoughts are swirling around and around as to what the main dish, the star attraction, is going to be on the day. Whether it is turkey, chicken or beef (or in the case of a family member who is vegetarian, a Tofurkey), let's be honest here, it's the SIDES that we lust for. Here in the Northern Hemisphere, with the temperatures falling and deep in another lockdown, the lure of comfort food that is filling and deeply satisfying can't be denied. Here is my take on that staple side dish, mashed potatoes.
Cheddar Cheese Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients:
3 lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes (if you can't find Yukon Gold, use yellow potatoes)
salt
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1/2 whipping cream
1/2 cup creme fraiche
coarsely ground pepper
1 cup roughly chopped or crumbled medium cheddar cheese
a sprig of green onion, chopped
Peel the potatoes. You can quarter the potatoes either before or after cooking. I used a steamer to cook the potatoes but you can also boil them. If you boil them, season the water well with salt. Simmer until they are very tender and can be pierced easily with a fork.
For the first time, I was unable to find Yukon Gold potatoes so I had to use yellow potatoes. Yukon Gold potatoes are the very best for mashed potatoes so I was stricken with concern and anxiety at their absence in the grocery store. If you are able to find them, please let me know.
Next, pass the potatoes through a potato ricer. Hands up if you were ever made to mash potatoes with a masher as a child. If you like lots of texture in your mash, then stick with a masher. But if you want mash that has the fluffiness of a cloud then a potato ricer is your best friend.
I got mine years ago from Williams-Sonoma. It comes with 3 discs with holes of varying diameters, depending on how fine a texture you are aiming for. It is called a potato ricer because what comes out really does look like rice grains.
Add in the butter, whipping cream, creme fraiche and cheddar cheese. Add coarsely ground pepper to taste. Garnish with the spring onions. Serves 6 to 8.
The nuggets of cheddar cheese hidden in the luscious creaminess of the potatoes which itself has been amplified by the lashings of butter, whipping cream and cream fraiche really takes this unassuming vegetable to another level. Above, I have paired the mashed potatoes with Italian sausages from Eataly. I have noticed that food prices have risen during the pandemic and heard that they are set to rise again by 5% next year. If you are like me and having to keep a sharp eye on the household budget, then having a few tried and tested basic recipes in your arsenal really helps to alleviate the worry. I am not that interested at the moment in recipes that call for a laundry list of exotic ingredients. First of all, how am I going to get my hands on them in the middle of a pandemic? I don't want to spend hours ordering them online and then spend weeks waiting for delivery. It all just seems too much of a faff. Mashed spuds is a universal favourite which you can dress up with what you already have in your refrigerator. What is your favourite side dish?
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