Mashed potato - basic staple or too much effort?

[NoblyBobly]

I was at a social event this morning with a mix of age ranges. We were chatting about what everyone was having for their main meal (dinner/lunch/tea/supper). I mentioned we were having a quick meal tonight of sausage and mash along with some mushroom, onion and courgette.
I was really surprised that so many said they love mash but it's too much effort..........
I consider boiling a few spuds as minimal effort and an everyday basic food. am I out of touch?

Or visit your local foreign shop. Most have cheap potatoes (and other veg and fruit, as it SHOULD be) per weight rather than big bags. I hate everything in bags in supermarkets and what is not in bagsis usually premium price. Hate it. Mostly shop in foreign shops for that reason.

I use a potato ricer for mash. It's like a giant garlic crusher and gives perfect lump-free mash every time. I wouldn't say it's a faff.

I’d never have mash with a roast. That needs roast potatoes. ..... I can’t think of single dish for which there’s isn’t a better form of potato than mash

I agree with you! Maybe if I was old and had no teeth left I might mash my food?!

I’d never have mash with a roast. That needs roast potatoes. ..... I can’t think of single dish for which there’s isn’t a better form of potato than mash

Yes, I agree too apart from dauphinoise which is the worst thing anyone can do to a potato. We hardly eat potatoes at all in our house though, maybe about once a month, we are much more rice/pasta/bread based.

My favourite all-microwave lazy dinner is salmon fillet with mashed potatoes and peas.
I cook the spuds first, then the salmon on the plate I'm going to eat it on with the frozen peas in a ramekin alongside. They take a minute or slightly over, which is about the time it takes to mash the spuds. Total prep and cooking time for the dinner is well under ten minutes and the bowl the spuds are cooked and mashed in, and the masher, are all the extra washing-up. Being a total low-life I have it with Helmans mayo on the side.

I’d never have mash with a roast. That needs roast potatoes. ..... I can’t think of single dish for which there’s isn’t a better form of potato than mash

I'd have agreed with you until we were invited to Sunday lunch at friends who made roast, mashed AND boiled potatoes. Apart from fresh new potatoes, boiled do nothing for me so didn't want to take any and felt I ought to take some mash to be polite. Actually really enjoyed them alongside the roasts, worked really well. But generally prefer something with a bit of crunch to mash - roast, wedges, chips. Given my choice, mash would only be for the top of fish, shepherds or cottage pie, but DH likes it with liver & gravy.

Yes. So little needed that it doesn't cool the hot potatoes down at all.

@BlazesBoylansHat - I boil the potatoes in one pot, drain and leave them in the colander to steam dry for a few minutes, put them back into the original pot, put it on a low heat and add a decent whack of butter and a splash of milk, then use the masha. Perfect mashed potatoes and only one pot used.

One pan, boil potatoes, drain by tipping the pan using the lid to stop potatoes falling out. Add milk and butter, mash.

No need for warm milk.

Or use steamer then put potatoes in a dish, then mash.

I think everyone is overthinking the mash hence why it's too much trouble.

@TimeandMotion

Because it's quicker!!!

Add water to pressure cooker.
Put on heat
Quickly peel and chop potatoes
Add to water
Bring to pressure and cook for a couple of minutes, drain and mash.

Quicker than peeling, chopping and then putting on the hob with cold water, it doesn't use any more fuel.
My mum and gran always did it this way too.

How are you reducing the pressure, under the cold tap? Otherwise it’s going to be an extra 10 minutes till you can open it.

PS I put my potatoes in hot water from the hot tap, no need to use cold..

Typical on here, some people have to be unpleasant,rude, nasty! I am all electric with solar,so cooking done as quickly as possible. Spuds peeled chopped, small chunks, microwave 5 minutes. If I want to be pedantic,if you add butter and milk which I do it's creamed potatoes not mashed. I do this in the microwave container,no extra washing up. I used to use a pressure cooker on my last range cooker,3 lots of veg at the same time, even a whole chicken. Now the microwave has taken it's place. In the winter I use the slow cooker a lot. I'm in my 70s, cooking from scratch is normal. I'm also a lefty, growing up, peelers were only right handed,so I used to use one away from me, then I discovered the Y shaped OXO one.

I use my pressure cooker to cook potatoes, add hot water so it doesnt take more then a couple of minutes to come to pressure, high pressure for 7 mins - instant release - it depressurises its self - so about 10/12 mins start to finish

No steamed up kitchen either :)

@TimeandMotion

Do you actually use a pressure cooker, you seem very invested in my method!

I adore mash but hate making it such a chore and hard to wash up. That said I haven't found a nice ready made one so will always make my own.

As soon as the mash is served from the microwave bowl,it's in soak in the sink, minimum washing up..my last pressure cooker a Prestige,had an auto de pressure switch,spuds took 3 minutes. I have an induction hob now, the pc are very expensive, but I have a really tiny kitchen..very little cupboard or any other space.

Well, I use my pressure cooker a lot for meat stews, soups and pulses, but I’ve always found it makes vegetables mushy and isn’t a very easily-controllable way of cooking them. So am curious to know why it’s worthwhile getting it out for a few tatties!

My old manual Tower didn’t have an instant release, my Instant Pot does but I don’t like the way you get a blast of steam coming out. In any event I tend to use it to cook things where I need the moisture to be retained in the dish, so don’t want to lose it by having it all evaporate away.

Mash is so easy! Peeling spuds doesn't take that long. And dump the hand masher in favour of an electric hand mixer and it's barely any effort at all. The only effort really is having the willpower for not sampling too much of it once the whole pack of butter gets thrown in.... mmmm.....

@TimeandMotion

Veg only goes mushy if you overcook it.
It can take a bit of practice to get your timings right but it's well worth it.

And me. Don’t know why people make such a fuss over something so simple.
Ditto rice!! And people who ‘can’t cook ‘ it, why? It really isn’t remotely difficult!

"Too much trouble"????

It's quick easy and simple. Also food for the gods.

Tell me your secret please. Rice is hit and miss for me.

Rice cooker. Can get for £20 on eBay. Game-changer.

Put kettle on to boil. Measure out basmati rice. I have a mug I use for this purpose. One mugful of rice into a small saucepan with a good thick base. Two mugfuls of boiling water into same pan. Bring to boil, uncovered. As soon as it boils, turn heat down so it's barely simmering. Cover pan. Put timer on for 6 minutes. At the end of six minutes turn the heat off and leave to finish cooking in its own steam. After a few minutes the rice will be perfectly cooked and all the grains will be separate. Can be fancied up by frying an onion first, adding spice, cooking in stock instead of water, but this plain version is my basic and it works every time. (Brown rice takes longer, but I use the same method. I use basmati because we like it, but this method works perfectly well with any type of long-grain rice.)