← Nouns Cooking · American

Ingredients

• 1.4 kg Yukon Gold or floury potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 2 cloves Garlic, peeled (optional)
• 115 g Butter, plus extra to serve
• 240 ml whole milk (or half milk, half cream)
• 60 ml Sour cream (optional)
• 1½ tsp Salt, plus more for the water
• ¼ tsp Black pepper
• 1 tbsp Chives, snipped

Method

1. Put the potatoes (and garlic, if using) in a large pan, cover with cold water by 3 cm and salt it well. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15–20 min, until a knife slides through with no resistance.
2. Meanwhile warm the milk and butter together in a small pan until the butter melts.
3. Drain the potatoes well and return them to the hot pan over low heat for 1 minute to steam off excess water.
4. Mash or push through a ricer, then stir in the warm milk mixture a little at a time until smooth and creamy. Fold in the sour cream, salt and pepper.
5. Pile into a warm bowl, top with a knob of butter and the chives, and serve.

Tips

• Never use a blender or food processor: it overworks the starch and turns mash gluey.
• Keep it warm for up to an hour in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Love and Lemons Jo Cooks Once Upon a Chef