WHIPPED POTATOES

By LindaW1955

High-starch russet potatoes made for superior Whipped Potatoes compared with Yukon Gold or red potatoes because their high starch content causes the cells to separate and puff when cooked. Boiling the potatoes added extra water, resulting in a flatter finished dish. We found that the best technique was to rinse excess starch from the raw potatoes, steam them, and finish the steamed potatoes on the stovetop. This process made them fluffier and better able to absorb butter and milk.
If your steamer basket has short legs (under 1 3/4 inches), the potatoes will sit in water as they cook and get wet. To prevent this, use balls of aluminum foil as steamer basket stilts. A stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment yields the smoothest potatoes, but a hand mixer may be used as well.

Ingredients

• 4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Details

Servings 8

Preparation

Step 1

1. COOK POTATOES Place cut potatoes in colander. Rinse under cold water until water runs clear, about 1 minute. Drain potatoes. Fill Dutch oven with 1 inch water. Bring water to boil. Place steamer basket in Dutch oven and fill with potatoes. Reduce heat to medium and cook, covered, until potatoes are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.


2. WARM DAIRY Heat milk, butter, salt, and pepper in small saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking until smooth, about 3 minutes; cover and keep warm.


3. WHIP POTATOES Pour contents of Dutch oven into colander and return potatoes to dry pot. Stir over low heat until potatoes are thoroughly dried, about 1 minute. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, break potatoes into small pieces on low speed, about 30 seconds. Add milk mixture in steady stream until incorporated. Increase speed to high and whip until potatoes are light and fluffy and no lumps remain, about 2 minutes. Serve.