Kelly Rossiter
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When my husband and I stopped to buy some vegetables from our local gardening lady, she said she had just dug up some potatoes if we wanted any. Of course, we did. Then my husband opened the trunk of the car and noticed that I had already purchased some potatoes at the grocery store. Our lady laughed and said "take 'em back, they aren't as good as mine!" And she's absolutely right. The potatoes she gave us were still moist from the ground and a beautiful bright red color. We also got some zucchini, tomatoes, green beans and eighteen heads of garlic, which I'm sure my son will expect me to share with him.
When I have an ingredient that is so fresh and wonderful in and of itself, I like to cook it simply to allow the taste to shine through. The first night we had the potatoes barbecued with some onions and olive oil, which is one of our favorite ways to eat them. I left the skins on them and they got a crispy exterior which I love. If I'm feeling particularly decadent, I use butter instead of olive oil and the onions get caramelized and it's fantastic.
Last night we were having a simple grill, so I thought I would try out this mashed potato recipe to go with it. I infused the milk with rosemary and thyme from my garden and garlic as the recipe called for and after about a half an hour my husband was cruising around the kitchen demanding to know the source of the intoxicating aroma. I mashed these by hand with a potato masher so I didn't get the glossy puree requested in the recipe, but they were fabulous anyway. You'll note that the recipe suggests a paddle attachment rather than whisk on the mixer, which will keep the potatoes from becoming gluey in texture.
Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes
2 lbs potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
salt and pepper
1/2 cup whole milk
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 rosemary sprig
1 thyme sprig
1 cup virgin olive oil
- Boil the potatoes in salted water. Meanwhile, heat together the milk, garlic, rosemary, and thyme then remove from the heat, cover and leave to infuse. Drain and mash the potatoes and put them in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle rather than a whisk.
- Strain the flavored milk through a fine sieve, add the olive oil and gently reheat. Switch the mixer on at a low speed and add the milk mixture to the potatoes in a steady stream. When all the liquid has been added, adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Turn the mixer speed up and beat until you have a smooth, glossy puree.
Difficulty Level: Easy
From Roast Chicken and Other Stories by Simon Hopkinson.
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