Garlic Mash

Garlic Mash as a bed for beef casserole

Mashed potato was a staple on my plate growing up.  Unless it is lumpy or cold, it's one of those things that it is hard to get wrong.  Creamy, warm, filling...drool......

To be honest I don't make it that often nowadays, and my dinner plate bears no resemblance to the well done steak/chicken/hamsteak, peas, carrot, mash and tomato sauce staple of my youth. When I do make it, though, I want it to be nostalgic but special.

Mash can be so easily dressed up by just tweaking it a little.  In my opinion, there is no such things as too much garlic.  So when I make mashed potato, I usually add flavour by cooking the potato in stock rather than just water and mashing a clove of minced garlic per person through the mix.  If you want to be super special then using cream instead of milk will make you think you are in heaven.

Below is a recipe for the garlic mash which we used in our Perfect Beef Casserole.

Ingredients

• 1 potato per person, peeled and cubed into approximately 1cm squares
• 1 cup chicken stock per person/potato
• 1 clove of garlic per person, minced
• A splash of milk/cream/light n creamy evaporated milk
• 1 heaped tsp of butter
• Salt and pepper (to taste)

Potential Spins

You can spin this by adding any herbs that you like.  I find that dill, chives or parsley tend to go best with potatoes, but it is really a personal taste thing.  I tend to find that it is good even without herbs.

Method

1. Boil the chicken stock
2. Add the potatoes, boil until soft but not falling apart (about 15-20 minutes).
3. Drain potatoes.  They will look slightly yellow because of the stock.  Ensure to drain all of the liquid.
   
4. Mash garlic, butter, milk/cream, butter and salt and pepper until smooth.  If you want it to be ultra smooth, you can push it through a fine strainer (not like the one pictured above - that would take way too long).

My Take Aways

Yum. Double yum. Triple yum.  It is easy and just takes mashed potatoes to another level.  We love this under my Perfect Beef Casserole, as a side with asparagus and baked chicken stuffed with a Persian feta and herb mix, under a good lamb shank or with just about any meal that goes with carbs.  Yes I have also eaten bolognaise on mash as something different - and to my surprise it actually worked.  Enjoy :)