In Don’t Sweat the Aubergine, I had the nerve to question Delia Smith’s method of making mashed potato, with a hand-held whisk. Overworking mash turns it gluey. Surely the whisk would bash up the starch granules and release their contents?
I did add - conscious of my temerity - that I was sure that Delia had never served a
plate of gluey mash in her life; but I am embarrassed to admit that only now,
10 years after I wrote those libellous and sacrilegious words, have I tested
the technique.
I was prompted by my discovery that a hand-held whisk
produces more flavoursome hummus than does a food processor (this post). And,
as you would expect, I learned that Delia was right.
The mash I made with the whisk was not impeccably light and
fluffy; but its slight glueyness – which you often get from enthusiastic
stirring with a wooden spoon – was a quality that I rather like. Delia’s recipe
is here.
Instead of crème fraiche, I used a little milk with about
50% more butter than the recipe recommends. (And I did not bother with the
business with the tea towel.) I warmed the butter and milk in a small saucepan
before pouring them over the potatoes.
1 comment:
Post a Comment