This classic dish that you don’t want to miss at your holiday dinner. I made this for Thanksgiving for the family and it was definitely the first dish to be gone. Try this buttery version next time.
(note: the drying the potato step is something new to me, but it helps absorb more flavor, so don’t skip it.)
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 2″ pieces
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cups whole milk
- 2 thyme sprigs, optional (or use dried)
- 1 bay leaves
- 1 stick butter (salted will save that step later, but will not allow you have the same control over the salt content.)
Directions:
Place peeled and cut potatoes in a large pot and pour in cold water to cover by 1″. Add 1 tablespoon salt and bring to a boil. (Another option would be cover with milk and cream. You can reuse this cream
Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are very tender but not saturated or crumbly, 20–25 minutes. (Do not boil potatoes, it adds extra water to the potato.)
While potatoes are cooking, milk, thyme, bay leaves, and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until butter is melted. Remove from heat. (If you’re like me, and forgot to do ahead of time, skip the bay leaves, and mix warm milk and other ingredients with potatoes.
Pass hot potatoes through a ricer into a large bowl (if allowed to cool, the potatoes will become gummy).
Remove herbs from warm milk mixture; discard. Gradually add milk mixture to potatoes, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon until combined and smooth; season with salt and pepper.
Serve mashed potatoes with a few pats of butter on top.
DO AHEAD: Potatoes can be made 4 hours ahead. Pass through ricer into a large pot and cover. Just before serving, reheat over low, gently stirring in reserved potato cooking liquid as needed to loosen. You can also peel and cut your potatoes ahead of time – just leave in water (which you can later use for boiling.)
Roast 'n Relish 