Cheesy Taters Recipe

Imagine a creamy blend of three cheeses with sour cream and butter.  Cheesy potatoes have never been this good.  Love them alone and on the Father Loaf.

Ingredients:
8 Russet potatoes (about 2 lb./900 g), peeled and cut into 2-inch/5-cm cubes
2 tbsp. 2% milk
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. sour cream
1 1/3 cups shredded sharp yellow cheddar cheese
1/4 cup shredded Asiago cheese
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
coarse sea salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste

Preparation:

1. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water.  Bring to a boil on high heat, then reduce the heat and continue cooking for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.  In the meantime, warm the milk in a microwave.
2. Drain the potatoes in a colander and return to the pan.  Add the warm milk, softened butter, and sour cream, and then mash with a potato masher.  While the potatoes are still hot, add the cheeses and continue mashing until they are melted.  Season with salt and pepper - because these cheeses can be salty, you may not need to add any salt, perhaps only a little white pepper to bring out the flavors.  As for lumps, they're totally acceptable if you don't intend to do any creative piping.  However, if you'de like to try your hand with a pastry bag and your favorite decorative tip, be sure to minimize lumps, because they make piping more difficult.

Variation:  Caraway-Horseradish Smashers

Make 1 batch of Cheesy Taters, following the recipe above, but replace the cheeses with  1 tbsp. plus 1 tspn. prepared(pure) horseradish and the same quantity of crushed caraway seeds-feel free to add more horseradish to taste.  Continue mashing until the potatoes reach the desired consistency (smooth for piping or toping).  Season with salt and pepper.

Recipe courtesy of The Meatloaf Bakery Cookbook - Comfort Food with a Twist by Cynthia Kallile

United States Chicago [ print this recipe for Cheesy Taters ]