Layered Mashed Potato Casserole | Slimming World recipes (2024)

FAQs

What does adding cream of tartar to mashed potatoes do? ›

Warm Heavy Cream – gives mashed potatoes a super creamy consistency. Butter (room temperature) – adds flavor and creaminess. Cream Cheese (room temperature) – adds rich, tangy flavor and smoothness. Cream of Tartar – makes mashed potatoes smooth and fluffy and helps achieve almost a meringue-like consistency.

The secret ingredient is just ice-cold water.

You soak the potatoes in iced water before they are cooked. This eliminates much of the starches in the potatoes, resulting in a super light and fluffy mash. It's also like when you make rice. The key to fluffy rice is to rinse off as much starch as possible.

When too much starch gets released, the potatoes become gummy, gluey, and unappetizing. Overworking the potatoes can happen in a couple ways: either by simply handling them too much, or by using a food processor, blender, or similar tool, which mixes the potatoes too aggressively.

Mash potatoes with half-and-half or milk using a potato masher. Add in the cream cheese and smash until the cheese melts into the potatoes. Add chives or scallions. Season with salt and pepper, to your taste.

Garlic and herbs are added to boost flavor

Instead of boiling a few potatoes and mashing them plain, a lot of restaurant chefs like to apply a little more finesse. Garlic and herbs infused in butter and cream add a flavor boost without overpowering.

Drop a whole russet into the pot and by the time the outside has cooked through, the inside will still be raw. Larger potatoes should be cubed to ensure they cook evenly (peeled first if desired). Smaller potatoes tend to have thin skins and can be boiled whole, no peeling required.

For the fluffiest and lightest mashed potatoes, use Russets and rinse off excess potato starch before and after cooking. Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site.

The main reasons to cut the potatoes and pre-soak in water are: To allow the excess starches and sugars to be removed from the outer surface of the fry strips AND to keep the potatoes from browning prematurely from exposure to air. Covering in water helps the potato from turning a dark color.

The best potatoes for mashed potatoes are a starchy varieties like russet, Idaho or Yukon gold. Starchy potatoes are best for mashed potatoes because they have a fluffy, almost airy texture that breaks down easily.

Regardless of the technique, remember not to overwork the potatoes. Starch is released when potatoes are mashed, smashed, or whipped, and, if too much starch is released, the potatoes are gummy and unappealing.

What is the trick to thicken mashed potatoes? ›

You can use what you have on hand: Flour, cornstarch, or powdered milk are all solid options that are probably already in your pantry. Potato flour and potato starch would work as well. Stir in the thickening agent gradually, about a tablespoon at a time, until the potatoes have reached your desired consistency.

The best potato masher is actually a ricer

If you want the most velvety, plush mashed potatoes, you're going to need a ricer. To understand why, it's important to know what makes potatoes gummy in the first place: overworking the starches in cooked potatoes.

Garlic – For savory depth of flavor. Unsalted butter – For richness and buttery flavor. Milk – It smooths the starchy potatoes into an incredibly creamy mash. Use whole milk for the creamiest results.

Gordon Ramsay's Smashed Potatoes are made with baby potatoes, olive oil, herbs like rosemary or thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper this dish serves 8 and takes about 1 hour, including boiling and roasting for a crispy exterior.

Adding egg yolks to a pot of mashed potatoes is an easy, dairy-free texture and taste upgrade that doesn't require any special techniques. The yolks harbor all the flavorful fats and emulsifying components and will thus effectively unify the fat and water in potatoes, translating to a smoother, uniformly creamy pot.