Mashed Potato - Recipe 1

Source: http://shine.yahoo.com



Mashed potato is a popular dish in United States and European countries.  It is often served as a side dish with steaks, as is also used as filling in other dishes like shephard pie, croquette, etc. 

Mashed potato is made by first cooking the potato, eithing by boiling (i.e. Recipe 1) or baking (i.e. Recipe 2), then mashed the cooked potato with masher together with other ingredients (if any, according to the variant intended to prepare), and finally proceed with final cooking process (if any, e.g. baking in oven top with cheese) before serving.

Recipe 1 shows way to first cook the potatoes via boiling method, and changes to basic recipe to prepare other variants.


Serves 8-10 as part of a shared meal

Ingredients:
Russet potato, peeled, ~2 kg
Salt, for use in boiling potato, 1 tbsp
Butter/magarine, 1/3 cup
Salt, ½ tsp
Black pepper powder, ¼ tsp
Milk, ½ - ¾ cup 

"KFC" gravy:
Butter, 1½ tbsp
Breading flour, 3 tbsp
Plain flour, 2 tbsp
Campell brand condensed chicken soup, 1 can
Water, to dilute can soup, 1 can



Method:
1. Boil potaotes. Place potatoes in big pot, and fill water to level just enough to cover all potatoes.  Boil with 1 tbsp salt, for about 20 mins, till potato is tender, i.e. when it can be easily pierced with knife or fork.  Drain immediately and transfer potatoes to a big bowl.


2. Mash potatoes.  Add butter, salt, pepper, and ½ cup milk to boiled potatoes and mash, till mixture is light and fluffy.  Increase milk quantity for desired consistency.


3. Prepare gravy.
(a) Prepare roux with melted butter with 1½ tbsp breading flour, over low heat for 10-15 mins, till colour of roux is brown like nice milk chocolate.
(b) Remove from heat and stir in balance 1½ tbsp breading flour to form paste.  Add in remaining sauce ingredients and whisk well with paste, ensuring no lump is formed.
(c) With constant stirring, bring mixture to boil for 2 mins, then reduce heat till sauce thickens



Variants:
(a) Garlic Mashed Potato
Add 10 cloves peeled garlic to water when boiling potatoes.  Substitute butter with 5 tbsp olive oil.

(b) Pesto Mashed Potato
Add 1/3 cup pesto along with butter.

(c) Sour Cream and Chives Mashed Potato
Add 1x8oz dairy sour cream with butter.  Stir ¼ cup snipped fresh chives into potatoes just before serving.  Sprinkle with additional snipped fresh chives.

(d) Stuffed Potato
For this variant, the potato skin is needed, so potato must be first cooked by baking (see Recipe 2).  Add in ~50g shredded Cheddar cheese for every Russet potato used during mashing.  Fill up the potato skin and top with some Cheddar cheese before baking in oven at ~200 degC for ~2 mins or when cheese turns golden brown and bubbly.