There are many different ways you can serve and prepare mashed potatoes. Mashed potatoes are also known as smashed potatoes. Typically mashed potatoes are first cooked in order to make them soft enough to smash. Most times the potatoes are baked or boiled before they are smashed. You can mash potatoes using a mixer, ricer, potato masher and fork. There are also instant mashed potatoes made form frozen or dehydrated potatoes.
The type of potatoes you use is also very important and to create the fluffiest and creamiest potatoes you need to use very floury potatoes. Sometimes waxy potatoes are also used if you desire a different texture for your mashed potatoes. You can also add butter, vegetable oil, milk or cream to create even smoother mashed potatoes.
You can also add seasonings to your mashed potatoes for a different flavor. Some of the more popular seasonings include turnips, parsley, wasabi, spices, onion, mustard, cheese, bacon bits, garlic, salt, pesto and rosemary. The French have their own version of mashed potatoes in which they are mixed with egg yolks, pipette into ribbons and rosettes and then baked until they are brown.
There are also low calorie and low fat ways to prepare mashed potatoes. Instead of using butter or cream you can add broth or soup stock. It is important when making mashed potatoes not to overcook them as the starch grains can burst and turn into something with a glue like consistency. Generally cooking smaller slices of potato are much better than larger pieces.
To easily incorporate any seasonings to your mashed potatoes you should first mash the potatoes and then mix in the other ingredients. This helps keep the starch molecules intake as broken starch molecules produce a gluey consistency. This is particularly of importance when using a mixer to make mashed potatoes. You also can ensure that the added ingredients are distributed evenly throughout the mashed potatoes.
Mashed potatoes tend to be used as a side dish but they are also an important part of other main dishes such as potatoes croquettes, Cornish pasties, gnocchi, pirogues, colcannon, shepherd's pie, dumplings and cottage pie. Many time gravy is served alongside mashed potatoes and many countries have this style of bangers and mash and pie and mash.
Sometime the boiling potatoes will over boil and create a mess. To ensure that this doesn't happen you can put some oil or a bit of butter in the water as this forms a layer on the top that won't boil over. If you are going to add milk or cream to the potatoes then you should add warm milk as this creates very fluffy mashed potatoes. A small amount of baking soda can also be added to the milk or cream for even more fluffiness.
If you want to prevent the boiling potatoes from boiling over you can pour some oil on the top edge of the water or add a tablespoon of butter. It is recommended that you add warm milk instead of cold milk as this produces a very fluffy texture to the potatoes. For fluffy potatoes you can also add a small amount of baking soda to the milk or butter before you mash the potatoes. It is recommended that you cover the freshly mashed potatoes with a dish towel instead of a cover as the towel absorbs any moisture and keeps the potatoes fluffy and dry. You can also prepare your mashed potatoes ahead of time and keep them warm in a crock pot. - 30289
The type of potatoes you use is also very important and to create the fluffiest and creamiest potatoes you need to use very floury potatoes. Sometimes waxy potatoes are also used if you desire a different texture for your mashed potatoes. You can also add butter, vegetable oil, milk or cream to create even smoother mashed potatoes.
You can also add seasonings to your mashed potatoes for a different flavor. Some of the more popular seasonings include turnips, parsley, wasabi, spices, onion, mustard, cheese, bacon bits, garlic, salt, pesto and rosemary. The French have their own version of mashed potatoes in which they are mixed with egg yolks, pipette into ribbons and rosettes and then baked until they are brown.
There are also low calorie and low fat ways to prepare mashed potatoes. Instead of using butter or cream you can add broth or soup stock. It is important when making mashed potatoes not to overcook them as the starch grains can burst and turn into something with a glue like consistency. Generally cooking smaller slices of potato are much better than larger pieces.
To easily incorporate any seasonings to your mashed potatoes you should first mash the potatoes and then mix in the other ingredients. This helps keep the starch molecules intake as broken starch molecules produce a gluey consistency. This is particularly of importance when using a mixer to make mashed potatoes. You also can ensure that the added ingredients are distributed evenly throughout the mashed potatoes.
Mashed potatoes tend to be used as a side dish but they are also an important part of other main dishes such as potatoes croquettes, Cornish pasties, gnocchi, pirogues, colcannon, shepherd's pie, dumplings and cottage pie. Many time gravy is served alongside mashed potatoes and many countries have this style of bangers and mash and pie and mash.
Sometime the boiling potatoes will over boil and create a mess. To ensure that this doesn't happen you can put some oil or a bit of butter in the water as this forms a layer on the top that won't boil over. If you are going to add milk or cream to the potatoes then you should add warm milk as this creates very fluffy mashed potatoes. A small amount of baking soda can also be added to the milk or cream for even more fluffiness.
If you want to prevent the boiling potatoes from boiling over you can pour some oil on the top edge of the water or add a tablespoon of butter. It is recommended that you add warm milk instead of cold milk as this produces a very fluffy texture to the potatoes. For fluffy potatoes you can also add a small amount of baking soda to the milk or butter before you mash the potatoes. It is recommended that you cover the freshly mashed potatoes with a dish towel instead of a cover as the towel absorbs any moisture and keeps the potatoes fluffy and dry. You can also prepare your mashed potatoes ahead of time and keep them warm in a crock pot. - 30289
About the Author:
Ben likes his potatoes mashed. So if you are looking for some delicious mashed potato recipes visit his website that is full of different recipes. He specially recommends his mashed sweet potatoes recipe.
