TRUFFLE MASHED POTATOES

One night recently we had (another) roasted chicken. We have this often, because we can get three or four meals from a chicken. I make it more or less the same way each time, changing the herbs or the lemon or whatever else makes sense given what I have. I like to slice the cold meat for sandwiches. A little mayo, a grind of salt, some good bread, maybe some lettuce and tomato, maybe just some pepper. YUM!

But I’m getting ahead of myself. When we had the chicken recently, I wanted to make some mashed potatoes. Not normal ones, but special ones. Fancy, even. So I looked around and found that I had some peccorino cheese with truffles in it. I know, it must seem that I eat truffles in EVERYTHING, but I really don’t. They’re not good in orange juice, for example. But they’re FABULOUS in mashed potatoes.

Normally I don’t peel potatoes that I’m going to mash, because I LIKE the peel. Our friends in Ireland are grossed out when we eat the peels of baked potatoes, but I think they’re nice with a little salt and butter. However, I didn’t want the peels in these potatoes, so I took them off.

This is a really great dish when you want something a little special to dress up a plate. Or a palate. (heh) It’s good for company, with quail sitting on it, or with just a little gravy. Oh, my. This is company food.

Before we look at the recipe, though, I want to mention again the Hope for Haiti raffle. The original deadline was tomorrow, Feb 28. It’s been extended to Sunday, March 7. This means that you still have a chance to buy a raffle ticket for cookbooks signed by the authors, for tote bags and jewelry, for gift certificates or a hand painted stole, or for some awesome Belgian Chocolates. Tickets are only $10 US. I know which one I would choose...

Truffled Mashed Potatoes

4 large floury potatoes

about 1/2 cup milk

knob of butter

1 cup grated peccorino cheese with truffles

salt and pepper

• Wash the potatoes, peel them and cut them in reasonably-sized pieces and boil them in salted water till they’re fork tender, about 10 minutes.
• Drain and mash them with a potato masher. Add the milk and butter and continue mashing till they’re fluffy. You can use a mixer for this, but the texture will be different.
• Add the cheese and mix until the cheese is melted.
• Serve immediately. Strap yourself in, you’re in for a real joyride!

Serves 4 if they like it and 10 if they don’t.

NOTES:

• This is one of those things that has to be done at the last minute. It doesn’t hold well. If you HAVE TO hold it, though, put it in a covered dish in a slow oven. Good luck.
• There is not a lot of truffle in the cheese, but it’s enough to flavor the potatoes. Truffle is wonderful, but too much is too much. This is just right, I think.