Mashed Potatoes
You know when you eat in a restaurant and get those perfect, creamy, velvety mashed potatoes? Here’s how they make them. First, you want starchy baking potatoes. Then, after they are cooked until tender and drained, place the strainer over the hot, steamy pot to dry them out a little. For the smoothest results, I like a foodmill or ricer (see Kitchen Note), but you can just crush the potatoes with a handheld masher.
Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds large baking potatoes, such as russets, peeled, quartered
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup whole milk, or as needed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
PREP TIME
MINS
COOKING TIME
MINS
Serves
Make-Ahead:
Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and add enough cold salted water to cover them by 1 inch. Bring the water to a simmer over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
Drain the potatoes in a strainer and set the strainer over the hot saucepan to evaporate the excess steam. Put the potatoes in the saucepan, and reduce the heat to low, then add 4 tablespoons of the butter and mash the potatoes until they are nearly smooth. Whisk in enough of the milk to form a creamy consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon the potatoes into a serving bowl and top with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter.
