Uncle Waltie's Mashed Potatoes

It's kinda crazy we haven't shared this recipe before as it's probably one of our most requested ones. Ever since we started dating Walt has wooed and swooned me (the Irish girl) with his fabulous and numerous potato renditions. I often joke that's how we won his way into my heart!

One of the biggest crowd pleasers has been his mashed potato recipe and I'm talking 25 years of requests for it. Every year at Thanksgiving and the Christmas holidays our kid and our framily kids beg him to make them and no-one else's will do! There's rarely leftovers but if there is I often will turn it into a topping for cottage pie. The two keys to this yumminess is drying the potatoes after draining them (a trick taught to Walt by my Dad and frequently practiced in Ireland) and a ricer (the standard masher or even worse the avocado masher will not work as well) The ricer also comes in handy for making gnocchi. 

Serves 6

Six medium Yukon gold potatoes

4 tbsp room temperature salted butter (preferably Kerrygold)

1-2 cups heavy cream (do not skimp to save calories - they will not be as creamy if you do)

Salt

Peel potatoes and cut into equally thick discs about ½ inch wide and submerge in cold water.  Move potatoes around in water with your hands and rub the pieces to remove excess starch.  Drain potatoes and place in large stock pot and cover with cold water, one inch over top of potatoes.  Heat on high until reaching a boil, then reduce to simmer.  Cook until tender when pierced with a skewer, about 18 minutes.  Drain water, then return pot to stove under low heat.  Let dry for 10-15 minutes, tossing occasionally to keep from sticking to bottom.  While the potatoes are drying, warm 2 cups of cream, but do not boil.

Place mixing bowl on a towel on the counter to keep it from moving.  Add 2 tbsp of butter to bottom of bowl.  When potatoes are dry, pass through a ricer into mixing bowl on top of butter, adding some pinches of salt as you go.  When half of the potatoes are riced, add remaining butter and finish ricing the potatoes, again adding pinches of salt along the way.  Once all potatoes are in mixing bowl, add half of the cream and stir to combine. Add more cream as desired to get to preferred texture.  Taste and add salt to taste.  Using a spatula, transfer to warm bowl and serve immediately. If you need to make them in advance keep them hot in a double boiler - do NOT reheat in a microwave or oven.