Mashed Potatoes ~ Sandra Style

Serves: 10

Ingredients

5 lb yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed, skins intact, cut into 2" pieces
2 C starchy cooking water
1/2 C extra virgin olive oil, plus more to taste
1 large shallot, minced
fine sea salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
small pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
1-2 T chopped fresh herbs of choice

Directions

One of the first things I wanted to master in the kitchen after being told I needed to be dairy-free was creamy, dreamy mashed potatoes. By using the starchy water and a lot of olive oil I have been able to replicate the richness that I am proud to serve to the most die-hard dairy lovers. The shallots help round out the flavor, but you could just as easily mince a few scallions in as well.

The serving amount is obviously substantial enough for a large family holiday gathering, but you can easily adapt the method below using less ingredients. Either way, keep in mind that you have to keep tasting this again and again (I know it's such a chore with mashed potatoes!) as you add the water and more olive oil. Both the starchy water and the olive oil give the potatoes creaminess, but it's the olive oil that gives it the buttery flavor, so make sure you achieve the buttery flavor you want with the olive oil at the final creamier stages.

Fresh herbs that naturally go well with mashed potatoes during the holidays include sage, rosemary, or thyme; in the summer, I always use basil or oregano. Enjoy!

1. Scrub potatoes, leaving skins intact. In a large stockpot, add potatoes and enough water to cover by at least one inch. Bring to a boil and continue to boil, uncovered, until potatoes are done (a fork easily slides through), about 20 minutes.
2. Discard water in kitchen sink, collecting at least 2 cups of the starchy potato water. (I do this easily by having a 2 C glass measuring cup in the sink, topped by a colander; all potatoes should end up in the colander at this point.)
3. Gently heat 1/2 C olive oil in bottom of stock pot and add shallot, stirring, making sure not to burn, until cooked through, 3-5 minutes.
4. Add potatoes, about 1 T sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. Add 1/2 C of the starchy liquid. Mash potatoes for uniform consistency. Keep adding water, about a 1/4 C at a time, until you get desired creamy consistency. When it is near the creaminess you desire, then add more salt. (Potatoes can take an amazing amount, which is why it's important to use sea salt with lots of trace minerals to balance out the sodium!) Add more olive oil, to your taste, for buttery-like creaminess. Before serving, add in herbs.

Note: to keep potatoes warm before serving, the best thing is to keep them heated over simmering water in a double boiler. If you don't have a double-boiler, you can improvise with a shallow stainless bowl over a pot; always make sure the top of the water line does not touch the bottom of the bowl to keep from burning. If neither work, then cover and keep warm in a stainless bowl in the oven before transferring to a serving bowl.

Print