Mash!

Perhaps my intent dislike of making mash is due to the scale I've sometimes had to make it on. Im not sure if you know this about me, but Im a caterer. Recently I've been feeding lot of people at church events, as I manage our kitchen there. Mash is OFTEN on the menu. Soft and fluffy under the topping, crisp and baked as the topping, pushed into a dish as a "pie crust", lets face it, its versatile stuff! 

A few things you might not know about mash:

- Use fluffy potatoes rather than waxy potatoes, and if using waxy potatoes crush them, dont mash them, or they will turn to runny gloop. For your local varieties consult google - there are 1000's! 

- Mash freezes REALLY well. I froze tablespoons of it into iced cube trays while weaning my babies, great to add with any other puree'd vegetable or even fruit, as it reduces acidity and tartness. Also a great way to thicken up a quick veggie soup. NOWADAYS I freeze it in the portions we need in zip lock bags, and defrost in the Microwave on high. It needs a good stir when you are done defrosting it.  

- Around 150g or 5oz of potato offers you around 30% of the RDA Vitamin C, 11% RDA Thiamin, 24% RDA Vitamin B6, 3% RDA Iron, between 10-15% of you RDA for Magnesium, Potassium and Copper. In otherwords, Potato is quite good for you! 

The best way I have found to make mash is to make it in bulk. I always use up any potatoes that are needing using up quickly, buy popping on a pot of mash. I generally only peel half the potatoes, and cube jacketed ones in too. I use my biggest pot, and then when they are cooked through, I bang them into the Kitchen Aid! Any mixer would do. I put them in hot (or not!) and mash them on a low speed for a minute. Then I stop the motor, add salt and pepper, a knob of butter or splash of olive oil, and start it slow again. I add as much milk (straight from the carton) as its needs, and then let it go till its perfectly smooth, only two or three minutes. 

The benefits of using a mixer are more that just reducing the work - I find seasoning is much more evenly mixed in than I manage to get it otherwise (maybe im just lazy!) and that its the best way to flavour your mash without over or underdoing it, as it gets mixed in SOO well. 

Some ideas for for spicing up your mash!

- add creme fraiche (low fat) and chives or salad onions for creamy mash with a zing, great with casseroles.

- add a little grated ginger or lemongrass for serving with fresh fish

- add a little horseradish sauce for serving with a great beef roast (go easy as it can be strong) 

- crush your potatoes with a little seasoning in the mixer and spoon over mince or fish pie bases, spray a little olive oil over them and pop the dish under the grill for a delicious crispy potato crust.