6/10/2006 - Recipe of the day

Mashed potatoes!

• No wheat
• No eggs
• No dairy (I used soy)
• No nuts
• Etc.

1) Peel 6 potatoes and pop them in a pot of boiling salt water (maybe half a teaspoon)
2) Slice one onion and one clove of garlic and fry in small amount of oil
3) Throw out fried onion and garlic as I couldn't figure out how to blend it into the mash
4) Once potatoes are boiled and really tender, mash the heck out of the 'em.
5) If possible let 4.5 year old perform step 4
6) In pot that so recently contained unmashed potatoes, heat 1/3 cup of soymilk and melt 3 tablespoons of margarine
7) Spoon mash back into pot, little by little, stirring between each addition.
8) Divide result into two portions.
9) Season one portion with garlic powder, paprika and freshly ground black pepper
10) Give other portion to 4.5 year old.

Mega success.  Not only was the mash as creamy as ice cream (although not quite as cold) but my eldest asked for seconds.  He didn't finish it, but he asked.  The only problem is that it is evident that this is a dish to eat soon after making.  It takes too long for me to whip up a batch between coming home from work and sitting down to dinner, and I worry how it would keep if I wanted to make it on Thursday night but serve it for Saturday lunch.

Still, unlike most of my culinary experiments, it worked the first time and tasted great.  My future work with it will be primarily [a] how to cut down prep time and [b] how reheat.  I think that the easiest way to speed up prep time will be to not hold baby while peeling potatoes.  I also think that I should cut the potatoes up before boiling.  On the reheating side, I'm taking suggestions...

16,000 spud-filled steps today.  Cheers,