Everybody seems to have their favourite way of making mashed potatoes. Some cook them with the peel on, some without, some add a little of the cooking water to the mashed potatoes for extra starch and some love to add butter, milk or cream to it. Whether you prefer them silky, chunky and rustic, or laden with melted cheese, they’re guaranteed to satisfy countless palates.
However, Mary Berry incorporates a surprising element to transform her mash recipe, which you may find lurking in your cupboard. She emphasised that a well-executed mash proves “wonderful if made correctly” and advocates using floury potato varieties, warning against cutting short the cooking duration.
For a tangy and soul-warming variation, Mary adds wholegrain mustard to her mash, a technique that has captivated numerous fans. Her recipe proudly displays a five-star rating.
Ingredients
- 1.5kg of potatoes, peeled
- 50g of butter
- 100ml of milk
- Salt and pepper
- Two tablespoons of wholegrain mustard
Method
To create the perfect mash, select floury potatoes like Desiree, King Edward, or Maris Piper.
Begin by chopping the potatoes into even-sized pieces and submerge them in a saucepan of cold, salted water.
Bring the saucepan to the boil and simmer until the potatoes become “really tender”. The precise duration depends upon the dimensions of your potato pieces.
Mary stressed the crucial nature of thoroughly cooking the potatoes, so remain attentive throughout the boiling process. Next, drain the water and return the potato cubes to the pan.
Mix in butter and milk and mash everything together using a potato masher.
Once it’s all combined, season with some salt and pepper. Then, stir in the wholegrain mustard and voila, you’ve created the perfect mash.
This recipe serves four to six people and requires less than 30 minutes of preparation and between 10 and 30 minutes of cooking time. It makes for a brilliant side dish for a midweek family meal.
Food blogger Chris Collins from Don’t Go Bacon My Heart also recommends pairing mustard with mashed potatoes and claimed that it’s the “perfect way” to spice up this basic side dish.
He said, “Honestly, mashed potatoes and mustard are a match made in heaven.” Chris noted that wholegrain mustard “adds a nice bit of texture”.