The humble potato has traveled all around the world and every where it lands, it makes a lasting impression on the people who eat them. But there was a time when no one but the ancient Inca's were eating them. In fact the word potato is derived from the word batata which means sweet potato in Spanish.
The reason only the Inca's were eating them is because all the other civilizations new the potato to be a member of the nightshade family which are poisonous. So how did the Inca's eat them? Well, they learned how to domesticate them and essentially cultivated a variety that was not poisonous. Christopher Columbus brought them back to Spain in 1492 and from there they spread around the world.
In todays modern supermarket with super variety we can find dozens of kinds of potatoes. In reality there are only 3 kinds to be concerned with. The best way to group them is by the starch content. There are high, medium and low starch varieties. High starch varieties, like the russet and best for baking and making mashed potatoes. The medium starch varieties, like the yukon gold are good all purpose potatoes and they go well inside soups. The low starch varieties such as the norland red are best for boiling and making into potato salad.
So, for our recipe, we are going to need the high starch russets. In total you will need 2.5 to 3 pounds for 10 servings.
We first start out by peeling the russets. You want all the potatoes to be the same size so that they cook evenly so cut up the big ones to match the small ones. Next we add them into a heavy pot. Add just enough cold water to barely cover them. Bring the pot to the stove and salt the water liberally (at least 1 teaspoon or more). Turn the heat to high and cover the pot.
Now, don't go too far. When the water starts boiling, you need to turn down the heat. You don't want to have a rolling boil in the pot. That tends to break up the potatoes and turns the whole thing into soup. Once you have lowered the temperature check them every 2 minutes. The way to test for doneness is to squeeze one with a pair of tongues or 2 spoons. If the potato yields to the pressure and falls apart, then they are done.
While the potatoes are cooking, there is other work to be done. Everyone knows that you have to add dairy to mashes potatoes. Here is the best way to do this. Take 2/3 C of low fat buttermilk. Add to that 2 or 3 tablespoons of whipping cream. Take 2 or 3 garlic cloves and cut them into small pieces (about the size of a small pea). Add the garlic to the milk mixture and heat just to simmering for about 15 minutes. Do not overheat this mixture or the milk will curdle.
Now, you have your garlic infused milk and the potatoes are cooked and drained. The best way to mash them is with a mixer. But not just any mixer. You really should use a stand mixer like a Kitchenaid. They make short work of this arm twisting chore. Place the hot potatoes in the bowl of the mixer (if you want, you could have added the hot potato water into the bowl to heat it up first). Next using the flat beater and the mixer on speed 2 or 3 start mashing the potatoes. Gradually add the milk mixture (be careful not to add the chunks of garlic). You have to eyeball this part. The amount of liquid needed really depends on the potatoes you use. When you have added just enough liquid increase the speed to 5 or 6 and beat for about 1 minute.
Stop the mixer now, scrape the bowl if necessary and change the beater attachment to the whip attachment. Next we whip on speed 9 or 10 for 2 more minutes. We are almost done. Remove the bowl from the mixer.
It is decision time. We now have light fluffy whipped potatoes that are infused with garlic. If you like, at this stage you can decide to fold in some chives, some bacon bits or some Parmesan cheese. I would add 2 or 3 tablespoons. Of course you don't have to fold in anything because the potatoes will taste amazing by themselves.
Serve immediately with your favorite meal and enjoy the sounds of 'mmm' that are sure to come from your friends and family.
