I like a rustic mashed potato dish, so I skip the step of peeling the potatoes before boiling. If you prefer, you can peel the potatoes before boiling. If you choose to omit the cabbage and leeks from the dish to make a traditional mashed potato, be sure to warm the liquids before incorporating them into the potatoes. I like to use the remaining cabbage to make our Classic Sauerkraut.
Author: Jennifer from 1840 Farm
Ingredients
One half head of green cabbagecore removed and finely shredded
1leekhalved lengthwise, sliced thinly, and soaked and drained to remove grit
1Tablespoonlard or butter
1cupbone broth or high quality stock
½cupwhole milk
¼cupheavy cream
3poundsYukon Gold potatoeswashed and cut into 2” cubes
butter for serving
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the lard or butter, coating the bottom surface of the pan. Add the cabbage and washed and cleaned leeks. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté until translucent. Add bone broth, milk, and cream to the pot and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low to steep the flavor of the cabbage and leeks into the liquid. Keep the mixture warm as you prepare the potatoes.
In a large pot, combine the cubed potatoes with enough cold water to cover and allow them to move freely as they boil. Place the pot over a burner on high heat, bringing it to a rapid boil. Reduce the heat as needed to maintain the boil but prevent the pot from boiling over. Continue to cook until the potatoes are fork or knife tender, approximately 15 minutes.
Immediately remove the pot from the heat and drain the potatoes in a colander. Allow the hot potatoes to drain for a few minutes before continuing. You can use a potato ricer to break down the potatoes or return the cubed potatoes to the boiling pot to mash using an old fashioned potato masher. Take care to mash the potatoes without overworking them.
Add half of the warm liquid mixture to the pot, stirring it into the mashed potatoes. Continue adding more liquid until the mashed potatoes are the desired consistency. If you find that you need more liquid, simply warm a bit of bone broth, cream, or milk before adding it to the potato mixture. Taste the potatoes, seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot with an ample topping of butter.