It would seem, what could be easier than making mashed potatoes? However, the dish has its own tricks and secrets. Today I am sharing a step-by-step recipe with a photo of mashed potatoes with cream and bay leaf. Video recipe.
Mashed potatoes according to the proposed recipe, not difficult to prepare. The recipe is simple, no tricks or unnecessary ingredients. This is a classic version, which I recommend to take as a basis, and only then experiment with different cooking methods and additional products. To make your mashed potatoes really tasty, consider the following tips.
- The main ingredient in the dish is potatoes. The taste of the finished dish will depend on her choice. Therefore, do not take frozen fruits, otherwise the mashed potatoes will turn out sweet. Peel the frozen potatoes, soak them in water with a few drops of vinegar, which neutralizes the sweetness. However, this is a reanimation, and not a guarantee of a good taste of the dish, so it is better to avoid frozen tubers.
- Sometimes dishonest sellers sell technical varieties of potatoes that are grown for the manufacture of starch and contain a large percentage of it. With almost any heat treatment, such potatoes turn into a sticky mass that does not hold its shape and instead of mashed potatoes, paste comes out.
- Industrial potatoes turn black quickly. Of course, it can be soaked in water, but it will not make a delicious culinary masterpiece.
- To improve the taste of the dish, you can add carrots, celery root, onions, pumpkin and other vegetables to mashed potatoes. In this case, peel and boil the vegetables along with the potatoes, and then grind everything in mashed potatoes. But before experimenting, first master the basics and then experiment.
See also how to make mashed potato pancakes.
- Caloric content per 100 g - 287 kcal.
- Servings - 3
- Cooking time - 45 minutes
Ingredients:
- Potatoes - 6-8 pcs. medium size
- Salt - 1 tsp topless or to taste
- Bay leaf - 2 pcs.
- Cream - 100 ml
Step by step preparation of mashed potatoes with cream and bay leaf, recipe with photo:
1. Peel the potatoes, wash under running water and cut into medium-sized pieces. The method of cutting the tubers is not important, they can even be cooked whole. The size of the potato only affects the cooking time. Therefore, if you need it to cook faster, then it is better to chop it finely.
2. Place the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with hot drinking water to lightly cover the potatoes. When potatoes interact with hot water, a starch film forms around it, which holds useful substances in the middle and preserves the taste. Then add bay leaves to the pot.
3. Bring the potatoes to a boil, turn the temperature to the lowest setting, close the pot with a lid and cook the potatoes until tender. Salt the potatoes 5-10 minutes after boiling. The salt interacts with the starch and hardens the tuber structure. Therefore, for mashed potatoes, it is better to salt the potatoes in the middle of cooking. The exception is potato varieties, which are very boiled during cooking.
Try the readiness of the tubers with a puncture of a knife: it should easily enter the potatoes.
4. Then drain all the potato broth, but do not pour it out. Use it for soups, stews or stir-fries, and can also be used to make pancakes.
Remove the bay leaf from the saucepan and pour in the cream.
5. Purée the tubers with a pusher, kneading them until smooth. Make sure there are no lumps. Never whisk or grind the mashed potatoes with a blender, otherwise you will get a premium paste.
6. Serve freshly prepared mashed potatoes with cream and bay leaf. It goes well with meat or fish. Thanks to the cream, the puree has a delicate taste and creamy texture.
See also a video recipe on how to make mashed potatoes with cream.
