The Queen's Table - 9

There are so many varieties of potatoes to choose from. These potatoes are King Edwards - so appropriate for use at The Queen's Table!



Of course, perfection is expected at the Royal Table, so here we have another recipe from Delia Smith, this time for perfect mashed potatoes.

Perfect Mashed Potato


This is now my standard all-time mashed potato recipe.

Serves 4

Ingredients
2 lb (900 g) King Edward potatoes
1 level dessertspoon salt
2 oz (50 g) butter
4 tablespoons whole milk
2 level tablespoons crème fraîche
salt and freshly milled black pepper

Method

Use a potato peeler to pare off the potato skins as thinly as possible, then cut the potatoes into even-sized chunks – not too small; if they are large, quarter them, and if they are small, halve them. Put the potato chunks in a steamer fitted over a large pan of boiling water, sprinkle the salt all over them, put a lid on and steam the potatoes until they are absolutely tender – they should take 20-25 minutes. The way to tell whether they are ready is to pierce them with a skewer in the thickest part: they should not be hard in the centre, and you need to be careful here, because if they are slightly underdone you do get lumps.

When the potatoes are cooked, remove them from the steamer, drain off the water, return them to the saucepan and cover with a clean tea cloth for about 4 minutes to absorb some of the steam, then add the butter, milk and crème fraîche. When you first go in with the whisk, use a slow speed to break the potatoes up, then increase it to high and whip them up to a smooth, creamy, fluffy mass. Taste and, if they need it, season.

Time now for our harvest hymn.

Let us, with a gladsome mind,
praise the Lord, for he is kind:
Refrain:
for his mercies aye endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.

Let us blaze his Name abroad,
for of gods he is the God: Refrain

He with all commanding might
filled the new-made world with light: Refrain

He the gold-tressèd sun
caused all day his course to run: Refrain

The horned moon to shine by night,
mid her spangled sisters bright: Refrain

All things living he doth feed,
his full hand supplies their need: Refrain

Let us, with a gladsome mind,
praise the Lord, for he is kind: Refrain