My Ultimate Mashed Potato

For many people, mashed potato tops the list of comfort foods.  After all, who doesn’t love mashed potato?  I love it with fried chicken.  I love it with steak.  I also love it with osso buco, which I would make once in a while.  And of course — we love mashed potato even on its own.  Never mind the carbs.  Mashed potato is pure comfort food.

Like all of you, I’ve tasted countless versions of this popular staple.  Here’ my version — my ultimate mashed potato recipe.  Yes, I say “ultimate”.  Not because I’m the best (hehe, I don’t believe in bragging), but ever since I created this recipe, I never looked at other mashed potato recipes anymore.  It was already eureka for me.  It is very, very simple.  There is one key ingredient you will need to add, which you will see soon enough.

For the mashed potato that is good for about 4 people, this is what I do:

1) I use 2 lbs of potatoes (roughly 1 kilo).  I peel them and then boil them until they are softened.  For me, this is the fastest way.

2) While boiling, you now prepare the key ingredient — bacon!  Specifically, I use Canadian double smoked bacon, which is widely available.  Use an oven or oven toaster and cook the bacon until they’re crunchy.  You also have the option to fry them using a non-stick pan.  If you’re using a non-stick pan, do not add oil.  If you add oil, my experience is that the bacon just shrinks and gets cooked without getting crunchy.  I use about 3 strips of bacon.  I also add 2 to 3 cloves of garlic.

3) Once toasted, put the bacon into the food processor.  Chop until finely minced.  I mince them finely to the point where they are almost difficult to pinpoint when with the potatoes.  When I did this, it added mystery to the dish.  People kept on asking me what extra flavor I put into the potatoes.  It’s a real feast for the taste buds.  Set aside.

4) Drain the water once the potatoes are boiled. You have the option to put the potatoes into the food processor.   Or, you can leave them in the pot and use a potato masher or potato ricer.  Add salt and pepper, 2 tablespoons of softened butter.  Then add full cream milk.  If you want a softer consistency, you can add more milk.

Add milk carefully.  You don’t want to put too much milk.  Otherwise, your mashed potatoes become potato soup.  I know of people who even use cream.  But this, for me, is going overboard already.

[As an alternative to full cream milk, you can use cottage cheese, which is a very good, creamy alternative.  I would use 1 cup of it]

5) Mix in 2 to 3 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese.  I don’t mind using parmesan cheese from the can for this recipe.

6) Add one last drizzle of salt and pepper, as well as a little olive oil.

Enjoy this ultimate mashed potato, ala ratedralph!  Haha, you might forget your no-carb diet because of this recipe.  I did.  You’ll also love this recipe with my Shepherd’s Pie, which is the next post.  This is also the mashed potato I use for my osso buco recipe, featured on the pilot episode of Comfort Zone with Ralph Guzman. 🙂