Creamy mashed potatoes are one of the easiest of all vegetable dishes to prepare and cook. If using new potatoes you can even get away without having to peel them. This easy recipe introduces a new spin onto the mashed potato theme by incorporating onion and garlic into the mix.

Image Source: Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

• 2 Kg (4¼ Pounds) of Potatoes
• 1 Large Brown Onion
• 4 Cloves of Garlic
• 1 Stick of Butter
• ¾ Cup of Milk
• 1 Teaspoon of Freshly Ground Sea Salt
• Freshly Ground Pepper

Method

1. Start by washing the potatoes and then peel them. Dig out any eyes and then chop potatoes into quarters or eighths depending upon the size of your potatoes. If using new potatoes then it is okay to simply wash the potatoes, dig out any eyes and then cut them into quarters or eighths (depending upon the size of the potatoes). You could also use a scourer to clean the new potatoes.
2. Peel the onion and then cut it into very thin rings. Now cut the onion rings into eighths.
3. Mince the garlic (use a garlic press it is the easiest and quickest way)
4. Dutch Oven – I prefer to use a large cast iron Dutch oven for cooking the potatoes. My reason for electing to use a Dutch oven is that once the potatoes are cooked all you need to do is to drain off the water and then mash them while they are still in the Dutch oven. Once done mashing the potatoes simply put the Dutch oven’s lid on and then place the Dutch oven containing the mashed potatoes into the oven to keep the mashed potatoes warm until it is time for them to be served.
5. Cooking the Potatoes – Add the appropriate amount of water (there should be enough water to cover all of the potatoes once they have been added). Add 1 teaspoon of freshly ground sea salt (it’s OK to use table salt if you don’t have any sea salt on hand) to a large pot/Dutch oven and bring to a rolling boil. Now gently add the potatoes and onion to the boiling water and give them a quick stir. Time now to reduce the heat to medium-high and boil potatoes until they become fork tender (about 25 to 30 minutes).

Note: By fork tender we mean that a standard pronged table fork will slide smoothly and effortlessly in and out of the potato pieces.

1. Draining Potatoes – If you are not using a Dutch oven use a slotted spoon to transfer the potatoes to a large oven safe dish. In the case that you are using a Dutch oven it is now time to drain the excess cooking liquid out of your Dutch oven retaining the potatoes and onion.
2. Mash Potatoes – It is now time to mash the potatoes. First up add the butter, garlic, milk, salt, and pepper to the potatoes and then begin mashing. A hand held mixer makes light work of this. Add any additional salt and pepper to taste. Once ready place the Dutch oven’s lid back on or the lid of your large pot. If you have mashed the potatoes in a bowl cover it with aluminum foil to keep the mashed potatoes warm until time to serve.

Tip: You might place the mashed potatoes onto the bottom rack of your oven to keep warm.

Note: Consider adding a little cheese to your potatoes as you mash them as this will make the final product pleasantly tangy and creamy. Enjoy!