And that dinner party is….Thanksgiving! Anyone who has prepared this meal knows it can be tricky getting everything ready at the same time and brought to the table at the proper temperature.
Chef, cookbook author and television personality Sara Moulton has a tip for getting the mashed potatoes to the table in perfect condition. She says you can try making them ahead and reheating at the last minute but the problem is when you do that the potatoes taste stale. It’s due to the reheated dairy products.
Here’s her recipe to Make-Ahead Light Mashed Potatoes that serves 10.
10 small -medium russet potatoes (5lbs), 1-1 1/2 C. low-fat milk, 1 C. reduced fat sour cream, 2 tbs.unsalted butter (cut into chunks), salt and pepper to taste.
Heat the oven to 400 F. Use a paring knife to prick potatoes in several places. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake on middle shelf until knife goes through with no resistance (45-50 min.) After baking, cut in half lengthwise and set aside to cool for 5 min. Scoop out the pulp with a spoon and transfer to a ricer or food mill with the finest blade. Force potatoes, in batches, through the ricer or mill into a microwave-safe bowl. Cool, cover and refrigerate overnight. Just before serving, microwave, covered loosely with plastic wrap, for 2 minutes. Stir and heat for another minute. Repeat the procedure until potatoes are hot. Stir in 1 cup of the milk, the sour cream, the butter, and salt and pepper to taste. Heat for another minute, or until hot. Thin with additional milk if you like a lighter, softer texture, and serve immediately.
Sara warns, “Whatever you do, do not put the hot, cooked potatoes in a food processor, blender or mixer: you will end up with wallpaper paste.”
We definitely don’t like wallpaper paste, especially for mashed potatoes!
Here are a few Casart room views that echo the spirit of the holidays and none of them require wallpaper paste!
Enjoy the dinner party to end all dinner parties next week!
– Lorre Lei
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