3 pounds potatoes, peeled (or not) and cut into 2-inch chunks
1 cup milk (can be part cream)
3 tablespoons butter
1¼ teaspoons salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and add enough cold water to cover them by a good inch. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until falling-apart tender. (Literally: Cook them until a fork inserted into any of the pieces causes the potato to split.)
2. During the last few minutes of simmering, heat the milk and/or cream either in a saucepan over low heat until bubbly around the edges and warm to the touch (but not boiling, which can cause it to curdle) or for about 45 seconds in a microwave oven. Set aside near the sink (or wherever you’ll be working), and have the butter there too.
3. Put a colander in the sink and drain the potatoes thoroughly, then immediately return them to the hot empty pot. Throw in the butter, and begin mashing with the masher. When the potatoes are about halfway mashed, pour in the heated milk or cream plus the salt and some black pepper to taste, and keep mashing, scraping, and stirring. When the mixture is done to your liking (don’t try to get it perfectly smooth, or it will have cooled down too much), transfer it immediately to a heated bowl or plates and serve right away.
GET CREATIVE
For tangier mashed potatoes, substitute buttermilk for some or all of the milk or cream.
Make green mashed potatoes by stirring in a cup of chopped cooked spinach (or frozen chopped spinach that has simply been zapped in a microwave until hot; squeeze out some of the liquid before adding).
For subtle garlic mashed potatoes, simmer 4 or 5 peeled garlic cloves with the potatoes while you cook them. Drain the potatoes, then mash the garlic along with the potatoes.
You can mash any of these items into the potatoes, adding them when you add the milk and/or cream and salt. Or serve a few at the table, for people to customize their own.
-Roasted Garlic Paste (Chapter 1: Soups)—1 tablespoon per serving
-A drizzle of high-quality olive oil
-A large clove of garlic, minced
-Crumbled bleu cheese, goat cheese, or other soft, crumbly cheese (2 to 3 tablespoons per serving), or Luxurious Bleu Cheese Dressing (Chapter 2: Salads)
-Grated Cheddar, Parmesan, or Gruyère cheese (however much you want)
-Sour cream and chives
-Crumbled cooked bacon (see Chapter 8: Party Snacks) or prosciutto
-Wasabi (1 teaspoon per serving)
-Horseradish (1 teaspoon per serving)
-Cooked onion or minced scallion
-A dash of ground or, even better, freshly grated nutmeg on top
boiled parsley potatoes
Makes 4 to 5 servings
Try this very simple dish on a night when you have little time or patience for kitchen prep. It takes just 15 minutes, start to finish. Red creamer potatoes are easy to find and to work with. They require no peeling or scrubbing—just a quick rinse and perhaps a single cut, and they’re ready for the stove. Use little red potatoes, about 1½ inches in diameter. They are lovely on the plate and go well with just about any fish, chicken, or meat entrée as well as many vegetarian dishes. Add the parsley at the very last minute so it stays bright green. These keep well in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator, so save a few for breakfast and reheat them in a microwave or a hot skillet to eat with your eggs.
This recipe is vegan when made with olive oil.
2 pounds (about 30) red creamer potatoes
Salt for the cooking water
A handful or two of flat-leaf parsley sprigs
3 tablespoons butter or olive oil (or a combination)
¾ teaspoon salt
1. Rinse the potatoes in a strainer or colander under running water, then shake off the excess water. Pat the potatoes dry with paper towels or a clean dish towel, and then cut them in half lengthwise with a very sharp knife. Place them in a large saucepan, add cold water to cover by about an inch, add about a teaspoon of salt, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium-low, and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, or until just tender enough for a fork or a sharp knife to pierce them easily. (They should not be falling apart.)
2. During the last few minutes of simmering, rinse a big handful of parsley under running water. Squeeze it tightly over the sink to press out most of the water, then roll it in paper towels to dry it further. Transfer the parsley to a cutting board and mince with a sharp knife. Measure out 1/3 cup, and set this aside.
3. Place the colander back in the sink, and drain the potatoes well. Carefully (so as not to burn yourself) pat the cooking pot dry with paper towels and immediately return the potatoes to the pot. Throw in the butter or drizzle in the olive oil (or use some of both) and toss, sprinkling in the ¾ teaspoon salt as you go. Toss in the parsley, stir, transfer to a bowl, and serve right away.
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GET CREATIVE
Try this with other small waxy potatoes, too, such as fingerlings, Yukon Golds, yellow creamers, or Yellow Finns.
Use a high-quality olive oil in place of the butter or olive oil.
Mix the parsley with another minced fresh herb, such as basil, thyme, or cilantro.
Instead of using regular salt, serve some crunchy “designer” salt at the table.
Serve with some salsa, sour cream, or guacamole (store-bought or homemade—see Chapter 8: Party Snacks) on the side of the plate for dipping.
Pass a shaker bottle of hot sauce at the table.
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roasted fingerlings
Makes 4 to 5 servings
Fingerling potatoes are an heirloom variety (meaning, grown from old-fashioned, noncommercial seeds, favored and thus kept alive by true vegetable gardeners) that has become quite popular in recent years. Easily found in farmers’ markets and enlightened produce departments, fingerlings are small, elongated, and knobby, kind of like a wise old person’s fingers, which is why they are so named. They have very thin, delicious skin and rich yellow flesh, and were born (or I should say, sprouted) to be roasted at a high temperature in a slick of olive oil. From this process, they emerge fantastically crisp on the outside, creamy on the inside, and indescribably delectable all over.
This recipe is vegan.
2½ pounds (about 24) fingerling potatoes, about 3 inches long
2 tablespoons olive oil
1. Adjust the oven rack to the center position and preheat the oven to 425°F. Scrub the potatoes under running water. Pat them dry with paper towels or a clean dish towel, and then cut them in half lengthwise with a very sharp knife.
2. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil, and drizzle it with the olive oil. (You can use one of the cut potatoes to spread the oil, holding the foil steady with your other hand.)
3. Place the potatoes, cut side down, in a single layer on the oiled surface. Place the tray in the oven, and let the potatoes roast, undisturbed, for 15 minutes.
4. Remove the tray from the oven, and use tongs to turn the potatoes over. Return the tray to the oven and let the potatoes roast for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cut sides are nicely browned and the potatoes are cooked through. Remove from the oven, and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
GET CREATIVE
Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Fancy “designer” salts and exotic pepper are great here, too.)
Garnish with a sprinkling of minced parsley.
After you turn the potatoes over, sprinkle them with up to ½ teaspoon dried rosemary or thyme, or up to 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary or thyme, before returning the tray to the oven.
Serve with a small dish of salsa, sour cream, yogurt, ketchup, or mayonnaise, for dipping.
Drizzle with high-quality olive oil just before serving.
Pass a shaker bottle of hot sauce at the table.
skillet potatoes with fried onions
Makes 4 to 5 servings
This cla
ssic method for making restaurant-style “home fries” involves several steps. First, you boil the potatoes. Then you drain them and brown them in batches in a skillet. Then you sauté onions, and finally you bring it all together in the skillet. All this takes some time, but not a whole lot of work. And it’s worth it. If you follow this process (especially cooking the potatoes in batches so they have plenty of room to brown), the end product will be truly, divinely crisp—which, after all, is the whole point of fried potatoes.
You can use any type of potato. A combination of colors will taste great and look beautiful. A shortcut: Use leftover cooked potatoes (4 to 5 cups) to make this dish. Even baked potatoes, although crumbly, will do fine.
This recipe is vegan.
2½ pounds potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
¾ teaspoon salt
1 large red or yellow onion, sliced
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Scrub the potatoes (peeling is optional), and cut them into ½-inch cubes. You should have 5 to 6 cups of cubes. Place them in a large saucepan, add water to cover by about an inch, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, or until tender.
2. Put a colander in the sink, and drain the potatoes thoroughly.
3. Place a large (10-to 12-inch) heavy skillet over medium heat. After about a minute, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Turn up the heat to medium-high, and add half the cooked potatoes in a single layer. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt, and let them sit, undisturbed, for 5 minutes.
4. Loosen the potatoes with a thin-bladed metal spatula, and turn them over in a single layer on the second side. Let them sit over the heat for another 5 minutes.
5. Scrape from the bottom to loosen the potatoes, and toss them to redistribute in the pan. Cook for another minute, then transfer the potatoes to a plate, scraping out and saving all the tasty browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
6. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel, and repeat the procedure with the remaining potatoes, using another tablespoon of the oil and another ¼ teaspoon salt. Add this second batch to the first one on the plate.
7. Wipe out the pan with a damp paper towel. Return the pan to the stove over medium heat, and wait about a minute. Then add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and swirl to coat the pan. Add the onion and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the onion turns deeply golden.
8. Stir the potatoes into the onions, adding some black pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until everything is golden. Serve hot or warm.
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GET CREATIVE
For richer flavor, stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons butter when browning the onions.
Add ½ teaspoon dried thyme when browning the onions.
Add one of the following, or a combination, to the onions after they have cooked for 1 minute:
-Up to 4 cups (packed) chopped fresh spinach
-1 cup diced bell pepper (any color)
-1 small zucchini or summer squash, diced or sliced
-1 cup corn (fresh or defrosted frozen)
Add 1 small minced jalapeño when browning the onions. (Wash the knife, cutting board and your hands with soap and warm water after handling hot peppers.) Or top with hot sauce.
Add 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 good-sized cloves) to the onions midway through their cooking.
Garnish with sour cream or yogurt.
Sprinkle with minced scallions or parsley.
Toss in some crumbled cooked bacon (see Chapter 8: Party Snacks) when you return the potatoes to the skillet.
Garnish with cherry tomatoes or salsa.
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your basic mashed sweet potatoes
Makes 4 servings
You don’t need to do much to sweet potatoes, other than getting them cooked. They step up to the plate all on their own, with their reliably sweet, happy flavor. This dish reheats really well, so you can make it ahead of time. You could easily double the quantity for a holiday meal. This recipe works equally well with yellow-fleshed sweet potatoes and the orange-fleshed, red-skinned kind, often referred to (and sold as) yams. (Technically, both kinds are really sweet potatoes. True yams are something else altogether.)
This recipe is vegan.
3 pounds (about 6 medium-sized) sweet potatoes
½ teaspoon salt
1 to 2 tablespoons brown sugar (light or dark)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon or lime juice
1. Set a large pot of water on the stove to boil. Peel the sweet potatoes, and cut them into chunks. Place a large colander in the sink.
2. When the water comes to a boil, add the sweet potatoes and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are quite soft and a fork can be easily inserted into them. Drain them well in the colander, and transfer them to a large bowl.
3. Add the salt, brown sugar, and lemon or lime juice, and mash until smooth. (A hand-held electric mixer at medium speed or a regular old potato masher works equally well for this.) Serve right away, or refrigerate and reheat (see “Sweet Reheat,” below).
SWEET REHEAT
If you want to make these ahead and reheat them (say, for a holiday feast), spray an 8-inch square baking pan (or similar-sized gratin dish) with vegetable oil spray, or grease it with oil or butter. Spread the cooled mashed sweet potatoes in the pan, cover it tightly with foil, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat, let the pan come to room temperature, still covered. Set the oven rack to the center position, preheat the oven to 350°F, and bake the sweet potatoes, still covered, for about 30 minutes, or until heated through.
* * *
GET CREATIVE
Add up to 3 tablespoons room-temperature butter before mashing the potatoes.
Replace the brown sugar with honey or real maple syrup.
Mash in a ripe banana (really good!) instead of the brown sugar.
Add 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract before mashing.
Serve with lemon or lime wedges on the side for squeezing on top.
Top with toasted walnuts or pecans.
Spread the sweet potatoes in an 8-inch square baking dish or an oval gratin dish, top with mini-marshmallows (Life is short. Why not?), and put the pan under the broiler. Watch carefully, and remove from the broiler as soon as the marshmallows have melted and are nicely browned on top.
* * *
classic asparagus
Serves 3 to 4
Asparagus should be on the crisp side to taste really good. In this method, it gets cooked in a very small amount of water in a wide pan—kind of a one-pan cross between blanching and sautéing. By the time the water has evaporated, the asparagus spears will be perfectly cooked. You do need to watch the pan carefully, though, so they don’t overcook or scorch at the end, once the water evaporates. Bonus: This method works well with broccolini and green beans, too.
This recipe is vegan.
¼ cup water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound asparagus (about ½-inch diameter), trimmed (see “Asparagus Tips” on the below page)
Heaping ¼ teaspoon minced garlic (1 small clove)
¼ teaspoon salt
1. Pour the water and olive oil into a wide, shallow pan, such as a 10-to 12-inch skillet. Lay the asparagus spears in a single layer in the liquid. (If they don’t all quite fit into one layer, it’s okay to pile them up a little.)
2. Turn the heat to medium-high, and when the liquid reaches a boil, cover the pan and lower the heat to medium.
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