Making mash potato

[Seahorse]

Cooking for the parents tonight, they are off on their hols next week so I thought Id abandon healthy eating and Im doing bangers, mash, gravy and peas.

My question is how long does it take to make mashed potato?
Im sure Ive done it before but now I have the added dilemma of timing it with the sausages, which usually take half an hour but havnt looked on the packaging.

So, 10 mins to boil water, how long to soften the potatos?
What can I add to it?pepper/marge?

Oh no, just realised I have to time the peas as well!!!

[indri]

I allow 30 mins for potatoes to cook (putting in cold water, bringing to boil...) then 1 min to mash.

It does depend a bit on the variety of potato as well I find and how small you chop them up to boil them.

I add a knob of butter and slosh of milk to make creamy.

(I don't eat like the taste of margarine so that's why its butter).

[Annette]

Peas don't take long Seahorse. All depends on the Spuds as to how long to soften. I get big bags from a local farm and they are now new potatoes, so take a little longer and don't quite go really soft like old ones do. For me it's usually about fiftenn minutes from boiling point, but I'm always poking them with a knife to check how they're going, so by the time they're ready they've all got stab marks.

I always salt the cooking water and when ready mash them with flora and milk.

Better not tell my lot what you're having or they'll want it here....

[Seahorse]

Thanks for the info.

The type of potato they are are brown ones with potato under the skin.
I repared them last night, tried to peel them but kept slipping so may invent a glove that holds onto slippery potatos, then cut them up small.Put them in a bowl of water overnight.

Ah, now the other question was starch, starch comes form potatos, Im assuming its gone into the water, is starch good or bad?Should I use new water to boil them in or is the water they have been in ok to use?

[Tip Top]

Way too techinical!

Solution = get your husband to do it!!
Stress over!

[Seahorse]

Way too techinical!

Solution = get your husband to do it!!
Stress over!

Dont think I can get a boyfriend, get engaged and find a venue then get married before 6pm tonight.

[Bowed Over]

I would toss out the old water and put them in fresh water. Just me don't fancy cooking in water that has been standing all night nothing to do with affecting flavour or anything.

I never ever time anything while I cook, just stick the fork in the potatoes and if they feel hard keep boiling. You could always cook the potatoes first and leave them, then put the sausages on, while the sausages are cooking you can do the peas and then mash up the potatoes.

Cheers.

Lisa

[Seahorse]

I have a small kitchen and get so flustered about hot pans falling off the hob and having no surfaces to put anything!
Yep, been reading about starch, its sugar so Il get rid of the water and use fresh.

[Annette]

You can tell Lisa's the organised one, short and concise instructions, obviously not a witterer like me....

[Seahorse]

Thats what I need, organistion, facts, stick to the facts!!!!
It all hangs on the sausages, once I have the time info I can work on that...ok, remember, IT ALL HANGS ON THE SAUSAGES!!!!!

[mjbelkin]

I lurve mashed potato (but we never add milk/cream to it)

But my question is - will it be onion gravy?

[Seahorse]

I
But my question is - will it be onion gravy?

Ohhhh, I was going to try it but chickened out!!Don thtink I have any onions.

What do I do with the onions?

[mjbelkin]

My chef usually fries them with the sausages and then adds them to the gravy

[Seahorse]

Aha, if I have an onion I shall give it a go, thanks.

[MrSwirl]

Ohhhh, I was going to try it but chickened out!!Don thtink I have any onions.

What do I do with the onions?

Slice them up, fry in a little butter until softened but not browned, then add to the gravy.

Use the water from the potatoes in the gravy, to get all the goodness in there, plus it saves energy!

If you are frying the sausages instead of grilling them (not really the best way, IMHO), then you could fry the onions in there, but I wouldn't if it were me.

Potatoes get creamier if you mash with a bit of butter and milk, but that's an optional thing. I also mash the skins in as well, rather than peeling the spuds first - you get all the goodness in that way.


See, it really wasn't for my dazzling sense of humour that Mrs S married me!