Part 1 - Mash: Your how to guide in making the perfect mash!

 

  There are many ways to skin a potato. Mash potatoes is one of my favourite ways with potatoes, sad to say my dear hubby is not a huge fan. So I had to come up with some inventive ways to make the average mash a little more exciting. Here is a few of my favourite way of making an ordinary mash sizzle with panache. 

It's no secret that mashed potatoes taste best when they're made with lots of cream and butter, and we don't skimp here. 

This recipe is one that I got from Ina Paarman. It is so easy to make:

(This is a basic recipe)

5 medium large potatoes 
250 ml cold water 
10ml Chicken Stock Powder/ 1 Chicken Stock Block
125 ml Milk (Skim Milk if you watching the calories)
knob of butter or a glug of olive oil (if you are using butter use the real Macoy, don't use margarine that is an absolute sacrilege!!)
Freshly ground Sea Salt and Black Pepper
Chopped Parsley

Wash, Peel potatoes with a vegetable peel and then cut the potatoes into even-sized chunks – not too small; if they are large, quarter them, and if they are small, halve them.

Place the potatoes in a saucepan, add the water and the chicken stock. 

With the lid on cook the potatoes for 15min or until "fork tender". 

Place the cooked potatoes into a mixing bowl - reserving the water from the potatoes.

Mash your potatoes with a potato masher, or a potato ricer, or even grate them. 

Add the milk, 125ml of the stock from the potatoes, butter or olive oil and beat with a wooden spoon or even your egg beater until well mixed and smooth.

Season with Salt, Pepper and Parsley

The list below is what I have added to mash potatoes in the past - feel free to mix and match and don't be shy in experimenting (that is the best part in cooking!):

• Buttermilk or;
• Greek Yoghurt;
• Sour Cream and Cream;
• Crème Fraîche;
• Cream Cheese; 
• Mascarpone;
• Roasted Garlic Cloves (add them when you are mashing the potatoes);
• Nutmeg for some extra flavouring or sweet paprika;
• Instead of Parsley try adding one of these herbs (finely chopped): Chives, tarragon, coriander, basil; rosemary, basil, lemon zest;
• Adding a rosemary and or 1 or 2 bay leaves to the cooking water;
• If you want to play on colour try adding Tumeric or Beetroot;
• Try some added vegetables: Carrots, Peas, Turnips, Parsnips, Celeric, Butternut;
• Try adding some cheese: Parmesan, blue cheese, pecorino, chedder, feta;