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27 February 2010

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.





27 comments:

Carol at Serendipity said...

Kate,

They look wonderful! I will have to see if I can find parm with truffles!

Carol

Zurin said...

Kate ur so funny...lol

Those mashed potaotes look so very creamy and soft....im nt good at making mashed potates.....maybe I need more practice! lovely pictures!

La Table De Nana said...

Lovely liddle puddle:)

Stella said...

Kate, if you were a smurf (I involuntarily imagine everyone in smurf character), you would be Yummy Smurf!

Pei-Lin said...

This is what I'd call good old home-cooking! A comfort food indeed, even for someone like me who didn't grow up with Western food! Thanks for sharing!

Glad that summer is here for you & Belgium. I'm sorry the Haitians. What's worse, Chileans are now struck with similar problems ... =(

Simones Kitchen said...

I love the peel around the potatoes too and whereever I can I leave them on (saves me having to peel them too...lol) This mashed potatoe dish does look worth the trouble of peeling though! Delicious

The Domestic Adventurer said...

Oh my, you're making me hungry. There's nothing like good mashed potatoes and yours look sooo good and creamy.

I roast a chicken almost every week as well. (We don't eat a lot of beef.)

Sally said...

food at your house seems like such a fun adventure... keep inspiring me!

Pam said...

Kate, My family is from Donegal, my mother in-law, who was from Roscommon, would say "Where they eat the praties, skins and all". So I guess you would have to go to Donegal to eat potatoes with the skins.

The potaotes look so yum! I actually have a truffle, canned but a truffle just the same. I may give it a go.
Bidding on the Belgian Chocolate, I hope I win!
Pam

Kim said...

Those mashed potatoes look amazing! Still laughing about how you said truffles aren't good in OJ, but great in mashed potatoes:D

Queen B. said...

I.LOVE.POTATOES.
OH MY GOSH, THOSE LOOK AMAZING!

pam said...

Mashed potatoes are always good, but those sound fantastic!

Unknown said...

Miam, miam! Thanks for your sweet words today - now off to work on an extra painful paper due Monday. :(

grace said...

no, there would be no holding these in the oven--they'd disappear before grace could even be said. gorgeous pictures, too. what a treat.

SavoringTime in the Kitchen said...

Mmmmmm! They looks so good! I'm going to see if I can find pecorino with truffles.

Ju (The Little Teochew) said...

Kate, I would lick the platter clean!!!

Hungry Dog said...

Looks perfect. I mean pecorino with truffles...how can you go wrong? I don't peel my potatoes for mashing either. One, I like the peel. Two, I am lazy.Three, I am lazy. Wait, did I already say that?

Mardi Michels said...

Kate I absolutely love mashed potatoes but Neil is not a fan. I think he could be convinced with these though....

2 Stews said...

I am roasting a chicken right now and would I ever love to have those. I have some truffle oil in the cabinet...next time!

Diane

Silke said...

I love your potatoes and I am gonna look for the parm truffel. Where did you buy it?

Have you ever tried mashing your potatoes in your food processor... i was very sceptic about it and I was faithfull to my potatoe masher. Until the day I actually tried it. Potatoes from heaven! You should give it a try Kate!

Now I am gonna look very hungry at your wonderful mashed potatoes.... mmmmm....

A Canadian Foodie said...

I know we do not have truffled Parm in Edmonton - but, if I do the recipe, and use truffle oil instead - do you think that would work?
I am dying to try!
XO
Valerie

Kate at Serendipity said...

Thanks for all your kind comments. We have the cold weather back now, and the storm last night did a lot of damage around here--the winds were incredible!

This cheese is not Parmesan, it's PECCORINO. You should be able to find truffled peccorino in a good cheese shop or a good Italian shop. In Italian it's called "Peccorino tartufata". Peccorino is made from sheep's milk, and when it melts it adds a nice texture to these potatoes. Parmesan would be too salty.

Truffle oil, I dunno. I'd try it a drop at a time--you don't want it too strong. You'd miss the texture of the cheese, but you could add some plain peccorino or maybe some Ementhal or Gruyere. If you use the oil, let me know how it goes, ok? Or if you use the canned truffle, Pam!

Kitchen Butterfly said...

I was planning on making some mash to go on a shepards pie, to top leftover meatloaf. I also have a jar of truffles I bought on a Spanish farm 4 years ago. It is umopened.....and may be the thing I need to turn this gourmet!!!!!

Barbara said...

Delicious and very elegant mashed taters, Kate! I have some truffle salt..which I use sparingly as it is quite strong. Wonder if that would give me the flavor? And thank you for the cheese hints in answer to someone in the comments.

~~louise~~ said...

Comfort food with a "new dress." Lovely Kate, simply a feast for my belly. Any left???

Okay, I confess, I LOVE the skins on too!!!

Another keeper, thank you so very much for sharing...

P.S. Yummy Smurfette fits you:)

Mowie @ Mowielicious said...

That looks like the best mashed potatoes ever! Great tips too!

Divina Pe said...

You've made mashed potatoes really special. They're so light and fluffy.