My mash

While on twitter the other day I mentioned my special mash I made for the kids now and then. And it is not often I make this given the amount of butter in this. But people seemed interested so I thought I would show you how I make my mash.  

Whatever potatoes you like to use for mash then prepare them and cut into even chunks and place in a pan of cold water with peeled garlic cloves.  For mash for 4 people I used 7 cloves. Was supposed to be 6 but I apparently cannot count!

Bring to the boil and add salt to the water and boil until potatoes are tender and mashable.  Then drain potatoes.  I leave them draining in the colander in the sink to dry out a little while I prepare the next part.  Now I never measured my milk but it covered the base by half a centimetre and I warmed the milk until it melted around 50 grams of butter with lots of salt and pepper.  I have often used white pepper which works apparently better with potatoes and even some grated nutmeg will work surprisingly well

I use a potato ricer or you could mash the potatoes and garlic with a masher or even whip with an electric mixer, but DO NOT use a food processor unless you like eating wallpaper paste gluey potatoes. Then I stir the whole lot together or mash together until fully combined.  I then slice another 50 or so grams of butter into thin slices and place over the mash and cover with a lid.  I just leave it to sit while I finish the rest of the meal off 

When I take the lid off I get greeted with a river of yellow lusciousness that I stir into the mash.  It seems to add more richness and smoothness to it doing it this way.  Also It seems to have a very slight cheesy taste, but that could be my imagination.

My 19 year old son would happily eat this mash daily and I swear I could bribe him with it! 

So a very simple recipe/idea but another one the family loves, especially with sausages and onion gravy as above ;o)