Saturday, March 16, 2013

Mashed Potatoes and Parsnips

Wantt the recipe for "Guiness Braised Beef Short Ribs" that these potatoes were origionally the accompaniment to? Just click HERE.


Mashed Potatoes and Parsnips
  • 3 Lbs New White, Red or Gold Potatoes, scrubbed and cubed
  • 4-6 Parsnips, peeled and chopped into 1 to 2 inch cubes
  • 1-2 Cups Milk, Cream or Half & Half
  • 1/2 Cup Butter (Kerry Gold, of course!)
  • Salt & Pepper
Scrub the potatoes and cut them into quarters. I used small/new potatoes, but if you're using larger potatoes, cut them into sixths or eighths - you just want to keep the pieces equal in size so that they cook evenly. You can peel them, if you don't care for the skins.


Peel and chop the parsnips into equal sized pieces as well.



Place the potatoes and parsnips in a large pot and fill it with cold water. Place the pot, uncovered, over medium high heat and bring it to a boil. As soon as it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and add about 2 teaspoons of kosher salt. Stir well to distribute and dissolve the salt.



Cook until the potatoes and parsnips are fork tender, but not falling apart too easily. (approx. 20 - 25 minutes)


Once fully cooked, drain them and return them to the pot. Stir them over low heat for a couple of minutes, which will help to evaporate any excess water left on them. This will help to ensure a creamier, less watery result.


Quick Tip: Adding cold milk and butter to your mash can cool it down a bit, so I put the butter and 1 cup of milk/cream in a microwave safe bowl or Pyrex measuring cup and put it in the microwave for about 1 minute. Melting the butter also helps to incorporate it into the mix more quickly.


I have a slight confession to make. I am obsessed with Irish butter. I don't know if there are other imports available here in the states, but my local grocery stores stock the Kerry Gold brand.


I only allow myself to splurge on it at this time of year, but if I had an unlimited budget for groceries, I'd buy it all the time. It is so much more rich and flavorful than our butter. Just look at the deep yellow color! (sigh) If your local grocer carries it and you can fit it into your budget for a special occasion, please try it. Be careful, though... You might not ever want to go back to American butter! :~)


Add in the butter and milk/cream, a generous amount of salt and pepper to taste and mash with a potato masher or hand mixer, set on the lowest speed. Add more of the milk/cream, if needed, to get your desired texture.


Parsnips are a little more fibrous than potatoes, (similar to cooked carrots) so using a mixer helps to blend them in with the potatoes. But, if you don't have a mixer handy, a standard hand masher works fine. You might just have to use a tiny bit more elbow grease. I like to leave mine a little bit chunky, but you can make them as smooth as you'd like.


If you've never had parsnips before and think you might not like them, just give them a try. They add a hint of slightly sweet flavor and extra richness to the potatoes. Plus, it's a great way to get those added vitamins into the kiddies without them noticing. They might just ask for seconds. Win/Win!!!

Try these with my Guinness Braised Short Ribs! You'll find the recipe HERE.





Of course, I'm linking this up with my dear friend, Kat'leen for her 5th annual St. Pat's blog Crawl! To join in or to check out all of the goodies, click HERE


Enjoy!



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6 comments:

  1. My grandmother used to make parsnips and they were quite good but I never tried them in mashed potatoes before, must try this recipe too. Thank you for sharing both recipes :o) Hugs Jennifer

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    1. Hi Jennifer! If you enjoyed your grandmother's parsnips and you're a mashed potato fan, I really think you'd love these if you tried them. Please let me know if you do, OK? :~)

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  2. Irish Butter is better because the cows are fed on grass exclusively. It is much, much better. I adore mashed potatoes and parsnips. I'm sure it is a million times better when made with Irish Butter.

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    1. Hi Jill! Oooh, you are so right! French butter is much the same. Now that I know you like the combination, I'll have to whip some up next time you guys come for a visit! ~ XOXO

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  3. Looks delicious, Mary! Glad you made it into the crawl!
    I am keeping you in my prayers, Slainte'!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Kat'leen! I'm thrilled that I was able to make it too. I'm hopping around to visit the others slowly but surely and there are some excellent additions this year. I so appreciate the prayers, too. (((Hugs)))

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