Mashed Potatoes with Chives from ‘The Vermont Country Store Cookbook’
Every week, Yahoo Food spotlights a cookbook that stands out from all the rest. This week’s cookbook is The Vermont Country Store Cookbook: Recipes, History, and Lore from the Classic American General Store by Ellen Ecker Ogden and Andrea Diehl with the Orton Family (Grand Central Publishing). In addition to their beloved catalog, The Vermont Country Store has locations in Weston and Rockingham, Vermont. Read more about Yahoo Food’s Cookbook of the Week here.
Credit: Jeff Wasserman/Stocksy
By Ellen Ecker Ogden and Andrea Diehl with the Orton Family
Mashed Potatoes with Chives
Serves 6
2 pounds white potatoes, unpeeled and scrubbed
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 bay leaf
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup ricotta
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup chopped fresh chives
Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and add cold water to cover by 1 inch. Add 1 teaspoon salt and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently until the potatoes are easily pierced with a paring knife, about 45 minutes. Reserving ½ cup of the cooking water, drain the potatoes. Discard the bay leaf. Return the potatoes to the pan and let stand, uncovered, for about 5 minutes, until dry.
Meanwhile, whisk together the butter and ricotta in a medium bowl until smooth. Add ¼ cup of the reserved potato cooking water, the pepper, the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and the chives.
With a wooden spoon or spatula, smash the potatoes in the pan just until the skins are broken. Gently fold in the butter mixture, adding more cooking water a tablespoon at a time if necessary to leave the potatoes looser than you ultimately want (the potatoes will thicken with standing). Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
Reprinted with permission from The Vermont Country Store Cookbook by Ellen Ecker Ogden and Andrea Diehl with the Orton Family (Grand Central Publishing).
More Thanksgiving recipes:
Cornbread and Challah Stuffing from ‘The Chef Next Door’
Turkey Breast ‘Porchetta’ from Giada DeLaurentiis
Thanksgiving Cupcakes from Martha Stewart
