Andrew's ingredient of the month: Potatoes

A potato is a potato is a potato; like a rose, only not very poetic. But that’s the thing about potatoes -- they’re not really poetic; they are the everyday prose of the vegetable world. They work hard and fit into our daily diet. Everybody loves potatoes and has a few standard ways of cooking them. At this time of year, when the weather is turning colder and the holidays approach, it might be useful to try a few new recipes -- to make a little poetry out of the common spud.

Mashed up plain and my favourite mash
Mashed potatoes are a standby and are beloved by most people. Boil peeled potatoes until fully tender; drain and return to the pan to evaporate excess moisture, then mash with butter and hot milk or cream and season with salt and white or black pepper. It’s perfect and simple. And there are lots of ways to subtly change the everyday flavour or mash. My favourite is to add one peeled and quartered white turnip and half a white onion, coarsely chopped, to every three potatoes; mash them up with the potatoes and season with white pepper (not black).

 

Other smashing mash ideas
Here’s a bunch of other nice things to do to mashed potatoes:
• Boil 1 whole peeled garlic clove for every 2 potatoes in the pot
• Boil an equal amount of peeled and chopped celery root (celeriac)
• Add chopped chives, parsley and/or chervil to the mashed potatoes at the end
• Fry some chopped green onion in butter with a pinch of salt until soft, then stir into mashed potatoes
• Fry onion slowly in butter until beautifully caramelized, then mix into mash
• Add sautéed mushrooms
• Fry some diced bacon until crisp; add onions and fry until golden, then stir into mash
• Stir in a touch of grated horseradish
• Stir in some fresh soft goat cheese until melted; add some chives or parlsley
• Replace the milk or cream with warmed (not boiled) buttermilk
• Replace half of the milk (or, if using, all of the cream) with warmed sour cream or crème fraîche

Leeky good mash and fancy French purée
Leeks and potatoes are spectacular partners. Or, for a mash that’s wonderfully smooth and light, with a nod to French cuisine and its love of purées, there’s Potato and Turnip Purée.