Pot O’Gold Mashed Potatoes
By Alison Steele
Often linked with Europe, the potato is actually native to the New World. Captured by the Spanish from the Incas, potatoes were shipped back to be grown in royal gardens in order to increase acceptance of this strange new food. Stolen by peasants to try in home plots, it soon became a staple in French, British, and Irish cuisine. Because potatoes were so easily cultivated, they grew in the hearts, bellies – and poor agricultural soil – of Ireland, for a time. The Irish Potato Famine devastated thousands of families whose main sustenance came from this wonder crop. The good news is by 1850, the Potato Famine had led over a million and a half hard-working Irish immigrants to the United States in search of new jobs and fertile land in which to grow a variety of crops, bringing with them traditional dishes like Colcannon and Dublin Potato Coddle.
Growing up with Scots-Irish roots, an early Spring meal was hardly complete without a warm crock of simple and nourishing mashed potatoes. The “lowly” potato has gotten a bad wrap as a starchy, empty-calorie food with little nutrition; but nothing could be farther from the truth! This perfect little package is full of antioxidants and wrapped up in minerals like potassium, phosphorus, B vitamins and vitamin C. Loaded with fiber to keep blood sugar levels stable, the resistant starch in white potatoes also feeds the beneficial flora in the colon, healing the gut and reducing inflammation in the entire body.
I forgo the cream usually used in this recipe in favor of stock knowing the nutrition that lies deep within a homemade pot of this liquid gold. Simmered low all night, scraps of vegetables, herbs, leftover chicken, and apple cider vinegar are transformed into an economical and superior multivitamin that is easily absorbed by the body. What’s more, the layers of flavor homemade stock imparts won’t be found on the grocery shelf. Filling the kitchen with aromas that are proven to lift the spirit, easy stocks are the flavor magic underlying so many simple dishes like this one.
“Pot of Gold” Mashed Potatoes Serves 4
8 medium Purple Viking Potatoes (or Yukon Gold)
1 T sea salt
1 c fresh stock
1 knob* of grass-fed butter
Sea salt to taste
Fill a large stock pot halfway with hot water. Add the tablespoon of salt. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. While the water is heating, scrub the potatoes and cut into quarters. Once the water is boiling, carefully add the potatoes, bring back to the boil, and cook until a narrow knife easily pierces to the middle, about 20-25 minutes. Drain and add to a large mixing bowl. Slowly add warm stock and mash by hand. I use a wooden cabbage pounder, leaving the skins on and a few lumps for texture. Add more stock if needed and depending on how salty your stock is, salt to taste. There’s nothing better than fresh, full flavored potatoes, so don’t skimp on good sea salt. Spoon into a baking dish making a well in the middle to cradle the butter. Cover and keep warm in the oven while you prepare the side dishes. Double the recipe for enough leftovers to seal up a Shepherd’s Pie. Serve with braised cabbage and slab bacon for crumbling over top if you like. Savor!
* A knob is from my grandmother’s day when a chunk of butter was cut and added at the cook’s discretion, usually a couple of tablespoons.
A native of Virginia, Alison Steele lives with her husband, two children, and cat in Boulder Creek where she raises quail, chickens, fruit trees, vegetables, and herbs. Alison plays banjo and sings in Sugar by the Pound.
Alison’s Pot O’Gold Mashed Potatoes
Photo by Alison Steele
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