Vegan Mashed Potatoes

[shyvas]

800 g floury potatoes ; King Edward's, Maris Piper, Yukon Gold.
a large knob of non dairy butter (around 30 g)
50 ml warm non dairy milk ( or 40 ml milk and 10 ml vegan cream)
salt & pepper

Wash and peel the potatoes and cut into even sized chunks. Place into a saucepan. Cover with enough cold salted water and bring to the boil. Cook for 15 - 20 mins, until tender. Drain then return to the saucepan and shake over a gentle heat for 1 minute. Wait a few seconds and let the steam escape.

Mash the potatoes using either a potato ricer or hand masher, adding the non dairy butter then slowly adding the milk. The amount of milk depends on the consistency that you desire. Use a potato masher and when you obtain a smooth mash beat for a few seconds with a wooden spoon.
Tip : Use floury potatoes. Cook until tender. Use a metal hand masher. Heat the milk.

 

[ledboots]

Thanks for the tip on using floury potatoes. I haven't been, and I am usually annoyed at the gumminess of my mashed. My mom uses some potato cooking water instead of milk, and hers come out lovely, but now I think it is the potato selection.

 

[shyvas]

Thanks for the tip on using floury potatoes. I haven't been, and I am usually annoyed at the gumminess of my mashed. My mom uses some potato cooking water instead of milk, and hers come out lovely, but now I think it is the potato selection.

It may mean that you're overbeating them. The key ingredient is to use very floury potatoes.

 

[Moll Flanders]

I love Maris Piper potatoes, I always try to buy them.

 

[shyvas]

I love Maris Piper potatoes, I always try to buy them.

Waitrose usually stock them.

 

[RabbitLuvr]

I use Yukon Golds for pretty much everything.

 

[shyvas]

I also find that using a ricer makes the mash very light and fluffy.

 

[RabbitLuvr]

I'm a huge fan of lumps in my mashed potatoes, so I use a plain old masher for mine. I LOVE mashed potatoes, but really do not care for them if they've been riced or whipped. Blech.

 

[Envy]

Heston actually thinks that very floury potatoes isn't the optimal choice for perfect mash.

 

[mlp]

I think that Yukon Golds are actually rather high on the waxy scale, rather than being floury. Much better for salads than for mashed potatoes, IMO.

In the U.S. unless one grows one's own or shops in higher end/higher priced stores, one doesn't have much choice as to potato variety.

My mother used to grow enough potatoes to last us through the year - they were stored in the basement. Potatoes generally become much better for mashed potatoes as they age, rather than when they've been freshly harvested.

Nutmeg is really good in mashed potatoes. Sometimes I add vegan sour cream (then I omit the nutmeg).

 

[Envy]

 

[shyvas]

Heston actually thinks that very floury potatoes isn't the optimal choice for perfect mash.

I absolutely love Heston's book and TV series In Search of Perfection (I have his book) but don't forget his approach is that of a professional chef.
His recipes takes hours and days as he uses the most daring and scentifical methods to make basics taste outstanding. He works in a kitchen laboratory and doesn't cater for peole in search of everyday plain easy meals. Bear in mind that he uses nearly 30 % ratio of fat to the potatoes, 2 methods of mashing,cooking in warm water and heating the peel before serving his mash with lime jelly.
His mash must be out of this world but I didn't have any intention of putting up this kind of recipe in the section which is called Basics.
There is no reason why you can't use waxy potatoes for making mash, you'll just end up with an entirely different texture. Some people add cold milk, others hot and other will add 200 g of butter to 500 g of potatoes.
It reminds me of his Chilli con carne which seemed wonderful but must have taken him all day long to make.
I have had dinner at his restaurant The Hind's Head where I had triple fried chips. They were out of this
world but I have never had enough courage to duplicate them at home.

All the recipes, that are put into this section are everyday basics. We have to bear in mind that many people don't have much experience in the cooking field and it is a way to help them to learn, step by step a no fail mehtod.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2010/mar/15/best-mashed-potato-method

 

[RabbitLuvr]

In the U.S. unless one grows one's own or shops in higher end/higher priced stores, one doesn't have much choice as to potato variety.

This is true. I have ready access to red, gold, and russet. (Yukon Gold is the only one I've seen referred to by name, but gold potatoes are often just labeled "gold."). I can occasionally find fingerling potatoes, but not regularly. I think Whole Foods sometimes has purple potatoes, but they're expensive; I've never had them.

I get big russets if I'm planning to bake them, but I use gold for everything else. Just my personal preference.

 

[ledboots]

One grocery store near me has a great selection of potatoes for some reason, including the fingerlings and the little purple ones. I'm a potato maniac, love them all.

 

[peacefulveglady]

This is where I am trouble with I have not converted the mashed tators to Vegan yet and using traditional but latley been outbreaking with dairy. I think Veganism is on the horizen for me.

 

[silva]

I just use regular Idaho. Peeled, boiled whole, or in half, well drained. Olive oil and plain soymilk- heated before mashing.
I love adding roasted garlic.

 

[shyvas]

I just use regular Idaho. Peeled, boiled whole, or in half, well drained. Olive oil and plain soymilk- heated before mashing.
I love adding roasted garlic.

I also use evo instead of non dairy margerine and a sprinkle of Maldon sea salt.

 

[SummerRain]

I like king edwards best. Good idea with warm milk. If I have things in the oven I put mash back in the oven for 10 mins or so, so that it's HOT on the plate not warm/cold due to the mashing.

I also love horseradish or mustard mash

 

[sallyomally]

*running to kitchen to make mashed potatoes*

 

[sallyomally]

And I did... and ate them. Lots of them. The warmth felt so nice on my Laryngitis ravaged throat.