Basic Mashed Potatoes

I recently completed some housekeeping on the blog, long overdue; I redeveloped the categories on my sidebar navigation, to include specific ingredients (like shrimp and other sub-categories instead of just seafood), as well as certain types of dishes (like soups & stews) or preparations (pressure cooker recipes). I hope this makes this website a little more user-friendly, and please be sure to share any feedback in the comments below.

In the spirit of housekeeping, I recently realized that there are some very basic recipes missing from the pages of this blog. Some are obvious; I don’t expect to ever provide a tutorial on how to fry bacon, or how to slice an onion, as there are many excellent blogs dedicated to kitchen basics. But others are such a fundamental part of my everyday cooking that their absences were missed. One such recipe is today’s post, for basic mashed potatoes.

I grew up with mashed potatoes as a staple starch. Today’s recipe is very similar to my mom’s basic technique: boil some potatoes, then drain and mash them up with a bunch of butter and cream. Although to be honest, I’m a product of the 1980s (knee-deep in the low-fat craze), so our potatoes were likely made with (yikes!) margarine and (ick!) 2% milk. I’m happy to report that after spending time with my parents the other week, they’re back on real butter and cream.

Today’s recipe comes from the pages of Deep Dish: Season One, the project I released with my friend Tony Federico this past May. In it, we explore a classic American meal – Meatloaf – and build a history lesson, radio show, and comprehensive recipe eBook to explore the ins and outs of one celebrated dinner.

One last bit of housekeeping – I’m disappointed to report that the company behind my iOS/Android app will be shuttering their services, and my app will no longer work after the New Year. After spending some weeks researching alternatives, I have not been able to find a solution that fits my budget. One of my goals is to learn programming code well enough to develop my own app, but that’ll be some time from now – I still need to finish writing cookbook #3! So for now, please accept my apologies, and I hope you’ve enjoyed your time with my app.

Basic Mashed Potatoes (Gluten-free, Primal, Paleo, Perfect Health Diet, Whole30)

Servings: 4
Time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

3 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1” chunks
4 tbsp butter
2 tsp kosher salt, more to taste
1 tsp white pepper, more to taste
about 1/2 cup heavy cream

1. Place the potatoes in a large stockpot and fill with enough water to cover the potatoes by 1”. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium and simmer until fork-tender, about 15 minutes.

2. Strain the potatoes and return them to the stockpot; return the stockpot to the heated burner you used to boil the potatoes. Stir in the butter, salt, and pepper, then mash with a hand masher or whisk until well mixed and fluffy, stirring in cream as you go to create fluffy, creamy potatoes. Do not over-mash the potatoes, which will result in a gluey texture. Once you have the right consistency, add more salt and pepper to taste. Cover and set aside until you are ready to serve them.

** For added flavor, roast garlic to add to the potatoes when you add the butter. To do so, cut 1/4” off the top of a head of garlic. Place the garlic on a sheet of aluminum foil, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, and loosely wrap into a teardrop shape. Roast for 45 minutes, then check for doneness by squeezing the sides of the garlic, which should be soft. Squeeze out the garlic cloves and add to the potatoes.

** For lactose-free (Whole30) potatoes, use ghee instead of butter and substitute the cream with 1/4 cup each chicken broth and coconut milk. For dairy-free potatoes, use olive oil instead of butter and substitute the cream with 1/4 cup each chicken broth and coconut milk.