COOKING THE BEST...
Mashed Potatoes

There are many opinions on how to get the perfect mash - and much comes down to personal preference!

• Select a potato labelled as suitable for mashing. This will be a floury textured potato. A potato labelled as general purpose will give you a good result, although if you are a perfectionist you should seek out potatoes which are specifically labelled for mashing. A general purpose potato produces a texture that will be somewhere between floury and waxy. If you use a boiling or waxy textured potato the mash will be ‘gluey’ - however some people like that!
• Cut potatoes into even sized pieces so they will cook at the same rate.
• Add enough cold water to just cover the potatoes.
• Cover and bring to the boil.
• Once they come to the boil reduce heat and simmer gently.
• After about 20 minutes test that they are cooked with a knife - they need to be really soft.
• Drain and mash until all lumps are gone.
• Vary what you add to the mash. Traditional favourites of milk, butter, salt and pepper are delicious. Also try combinations of finely chopped herbs, grated cheese, plain yoghurt, sour cream, olives, capers, sun dried tomatoes or sautéed onion, capsicum or mushroom.
• For the ultimate smooth creamy mash try using a potato ricer - this utensil is different from a masher as it forces the potato flesh through small holes. Using a potato ricer is a bit of work, but the results are always stunning!

Healthy tips…

• Add low fat milk and a splash of olive oil to your mash - much healthier than cream and butter and tastes divine too.
• Flavoured olive or avocado oils are great.
• Fresh herbs and or sautéed onions added to mash are also a lower fat alternative.
• “Smashed” potatoes are unpeeled potatoes which are mashed - they have heaps more fibre and taste good - give them a go! The best example of when lazy is good!