My sister Lisa gave me this cookbook a few years ago for Christmas saying, “It may just end up being a coffee table cookbook, but I thought you’d like it.”  It really is a beautiful book.  It is also larger than your average cookbook, so it does look great just sitting out in my house.  I will admit though that for the 3 years I have had it I have merely perused its pages and admired the lovely photos and descriptions of dishes by Marcus Samuelsson.  He is an Ethiopian-born Swedish chef and co-owner at Aquavit in New York City.  I have never eaten there, but maybe I will someday.  You may have seen Samuelsson on Top Chef Masters and heard of his catering of a White House dinner this past November.

This recipe for mashed potatoes has been one that I’ve looked at and considered making more than once.  It seemed like the perfect side dish to serve with our steaks.

These potatoes are a step up from simple mashed potatoes with the addition of corn and thyme.  The potatoes are cooked in milk and cream, and this cooking liquid is used to create the consistency you like for your potatoes.  I did buy a new utensil for this recipe: a potato ricer!  I love it.  So what if it may only serve one purpose?  It made the potatoes so creamy and smooth.  Sometimes I really like a more rustic mashed potato with chunks and little pieces of the skin in there.  But there is something very special about the incredibly smooth and silky texture of potatoes once you squeeze them through the ricer.  This might be one of my most favorite tools to use in the kitchen.  The potato goes in whole and comes out in long lanky strings!  Fun stuff.

The corn adds a delicious sweetness and contrast in texture.  The thyme is a lovely herb to use in these potatoes.  I won’t try to tell you that these are something you should eat weekly.  These potatoes are decadent and rich, so consume in moderation!

Corn Mashed Potatoes

From Aquavit

Ingredients

• 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, peeled
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup cream
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon mascarpone cheese (or substitute cream cheese)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cup corn kernels, from about 2 corn cobs
• kosher salt and black pepper

Directions

1. Cook the corn on the cob in boiling water for about 3 minutes.  Let cool, then cut corn from the cobs.
2. Combine potatoes, milk and cream in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 20 – 25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.  Drain the potatoes, reserving the cooking liquid.
3. Pass the potatoes through a food mill or potato ricer into a large bowl.
4. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks lightly.  Add the mascarpone or cream cheese and mix well, then stir in the thyme and olive oil.
5. Add the egg yolk mixture to the potatoes along with the butter and about half of the cooking liquid and mix well.  Add more cooking liquid if desired.
6. Fold in corn and season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. If not serving immediately, return to the saucepan, cover, and keep warm over low heat.  You may need to add a little more cooking liquid if the potatoes begin to get dry.

Since it was after 6 when the movie got out, we decided to grill steaks and make some quick side dishes.  Thank God for the iPhone!  Without it I wouldn’t have been able to find this yummy mashed potato recipe on Epi.  Salad would have been another easy side, but I opted to make something a little more exciting; sautéed green beans with toasted walnuts.

The potatoes were creamy and delicious with an incredible nuttiness from the browned butter and subtle onion flavor.  I halved the recipe from epicurious so make 4 servings.  I finished the potatoes quite a bit before the steaks were finished, so I kept them covered on the stove and they dried out a bit.  I added a little bit more whole milk and sour cream (maybe a tablespoon of each) before serving to make them creamier.

I think these potatoes would be a good complement to an Asian marinated chicken or steak.  I also think that low fat milk and sour cream could be substituted.  You cannot, however, skimp on the butter!  The butter makes this a special dish and a nice change from an ordinary mashed potato.

Brown Butter and Chive Mashed Potatoes

• 2 ½  lb yellow-fleshed potatoes such as Yukon Gold, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• ½  tablespoon salt
• ½  cup whole milk
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 bunch scallions, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1. Cover potatoes with cold water by 2 inches in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot and add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Drain potatoes in a colander, then return to pot and cook over moderate heat, shaking pot occasionally, until dry, 1 to 2 minutes. Mash hot potatoes with masher or force through food mill into another pot, then cover to keep warm.
3. Bring milk with remaining 1/2 teaspoons salt just to a boil in a 1-quart saucepan, then remove from heat and stir into potatoes until combined. Stir in sour cream, then cover and keep warm.
4. Cook butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat, stirring frequently and scraping up brown bits, until foam subsides and butter is golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add scallions and pepper and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Fold butter mixture into mashed potatoes and season with salt.