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Old Woman Peeling Potatoes
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Langley, Walter
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A Farmer from Neunen,
Peeling Potatoes, c.1885
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van Gogh, Vincent
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Tomatoes
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Phillips, Roger
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Eggplants / Aubergines (Solanum Melongena)
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Reinhard
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Ciabatta, Fennel Bulb and Pepper Shaker, Barbecue Behind
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Leplat, Véronique
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La Belle Cuisine
"What I say is that, if a man really likes potatoes,
he must be a
pretty decent
sort of fellow."
~ A. A. Milne
Mashed Potatoes with Four Variations
 
Union Square Cafe Cookbook:
160 Favorite Recipes from
New York's Acclaimed Restaurant
by Danny Meyer and Michael Romano, 1994, HarperCollins
“Who of us can resist the creamy
comfort of perfect mashed potatoes? We’ve
found that even the most
persnickety diner can be convinced to try almost
any new or unusual dish on
our menu – so long as it’s accompanied by
mashed potatoes.
These creamy
spuds make everything they come in contact
with taste better. A
few
tips for
making perfect, smooth mashed potatoes:
Use a food mill or ricer.
A handheld masher will give you lumpy mashed
potatoes and a food processor
makes them gummy and tough. Also, mashed
potatoes are never as good as
when
freshly made. While this recipe explains
how to hold mashed potatoes
for up
to an hour, they’ll change dramatically
if you reheat them the next
day.
Once you’ve learned this
basic recipe, have
fun with some of the flavored
mashed potato variations we
offer [following].
Frizzled Leeks provide a
sweet-crunchy garnish when sprinkled
over these
or any of our mashed
potato
variations.”
Yields 4 cups,
serves 4
2 pounds Idaho potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 teaspoons kosher salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1. Place the potatoes in a 2-quart saucepan with 1 teaspoon
of the salt and
cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and
simmer, covered,
until completely tender, about 30 minutes. Test the
potatoes by piercing
them with a paring knife – there should be no
resistance. Place in a
colander and allows to drain well for several
minutes.
2. Combine the butter, heavy cream, and milk in another saucepan and
heat
gently until the butter has melted. Keep warm.
3. Working over the saucepan used to cook the potatoes, pass the potatoes
through a food mill or a potato ricer. If you have any difficulty, add a
little
of the hot milk and butter to the potatoes.
4. To serve, place the potatoes over a low flame and begin adding the
warm milk mixture. Whip the potatoes with a wooden spoon or
spatula
while
heating. When all the liquid is absorbed, season with
the remaining
salt and
pepper. Serve piping hot. Mashed potatoes
are best served immediately, but
if you are unable to do so, or need
them for another
recipe, keep the
potatoes hot for up to 1 hour
by placing them in the
top of a double boiler,
covered, and held
over barely simmering water.
Basil Mashed Potatoes
“If
you’re lucky enough to have an abundant source of basil in the summer, this
recipe is a great way to use it. The bright green basil purée – sort of a
cheeseless
pesto – is also wonderful stirred into soups, mixed into salad
vinaigrettes, or
spooned over pizza. Prepared and stored properly, the purée
will keep for weeks.
Just make sure to start with very dry basil and
transfer to a clean, dry jar. Top
with a 1/8-inch layer of olive oil, cover
tightly, and refrigerate.”
Serves 4
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 medium garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups basil leaves, washed and
dried (2 ounces)
4 cups Mashed Potatoes
1. In a blender, combine the pine nuts, extra-virgin olive
oil, garlic, salt,
and pepper; purée. With the motor running, add the basil
leaves and
continue to purée until smooth.
2. Add the basil purée to the warm mashed potatoes and, over low
heat,
stir
with a wooden spoon until the purée is completely
incorporated and
the
mixture is piping hot. Serve.
Roast
Tomato Mashed Potatoes
“Here’s
another spin on the basic mashed potato recipe, this time using
slow-baked,
oven-dried plum tomatoes to add a potent tomato flavor. Try
these with
lamb,
chicken, veal scaloppine, broccoli rabe, and garlic-
simmered artichokes.”
Serves 4
1/2 pound
Oven-Dried
Tomatoes, drained
4 cups Mashed Potatoes
1. In a food processor, purée the oven-dried tomatoes to a
nearly
smooth consistency.
2. Add the tomato purée to the warm mashed potatoes and, over low
heat,
stir with a wooden spoon until the tomatoes are completely
incorporated
and
the mixture is piping hot. Serve.
Eggplant Mashed Potatoes
“This
unusual mashed potato variation accompanies our grilled marinated
Filet
Mignon of Tuna. It’s also great with lamb, pork, chicken, or fish
dishes
accented
with Asian spices.”
Serves 4
2 medium eggplants (about 2 pounds total), peeled
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon peeled and grated ginger
1 tablespoon tahini
2 tablespoons soy sauce (preferably tamari)
2 cups Mashed Potatoes
1 recipe Frizzled Leeks, optional
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise, then slice each half lengthwise
into thirds. Keep the slices together. Slice across the halves at
1/2-inch intervals. With a wide spatula, transfer the cut eggplant
to a lightly oiled roasting pan. Drizzle evenly with 3 tablespoons
of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover with foil
and roast in the oven for 45 minutes.
The cooked eggplant should
be very tender and soft to the touch. Purée in a
food
processor
until smooth.
3. In a medium sauté pan, heat the remaining olive oil and the sesame
oil over a low flame. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 3 to 4
minutes. Add
the eggplant purée, tahini, and soy sauce; cook for 10
minutes longer. Stir
in the warm mashed potatoes and heat tho-
roughly. Add pepper and serve piping
hot.
Fennel Mashed Potatoes
“We love
the fennel mashed potatoes served with firmly textured seafood
such
as
lobster, scallops, monkfish, tuna, and swordfish. Or, served with
lamb, try
shaving some fresh Parmigiano Reggiano over the top and
finish
with a few
drops of good olive oil.”
Serves 4
2 pounds Idaho potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups sliced fennel, bulb and top
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon Pernod
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated white pepper
1. Place the potatoes in a 2-quart saucepan with 1 teaspoon
of the salt
and
cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and
simmer,
covered,
until completely tender, about 30 minutes. Drain.
2. In a saucepan, combine the fennel, milk, cream, and butter. Simmer,
covered, until tender, about 30 minutes.
3. Pour the fennel and its cooking liquid into a blender or processor,
cover,
and purée, adding 1 teaspoon Pernod.
4. Working over the saucepan you used for the potatoes, pass the potatoes
through a food mill or a potato ricer. If you have any difficulty, add a
little
of the hot fennel purée to the potatoes.
5. To serve, place the potatoes over a low flame and begin adding the warm
fennel purée. Whip the potatoes with a wooden spoon or spatula while
heating. When all the purée is incorporated, season with the remaining
salt
and white pepper. Serve piping hot.
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