Pressure Cooker Mashed Potatoes...

Pressure Cooker Mashed Potatoes... I am trying to build up my pressure cooker recipes... for my own personal reference. So please bear with me this time around as I post yet another recipe involving the pressure cooker. This isn't really much of a post...or recipe for that matter. There's really not much to blog about mashed potatoes:). But this post will help me when I forget the timing:)...and maybe one or two others who own a pressure cooker.

In any case, this recipe is a simple way of making creamy mashed potatoes. The pressure cooker allows the potatoes to cook with very little water ...steaming them more...and actually keeps the potatoes "drier". When the potatoes are covered completely in water, it absorbs quite a bit of the water it's in....making the potatoes more.... well, you know.... "watery". It's not necessarily bad...I mean I've done mashed potatoes without a pressure cooker for the longest time and loved them. But making them in the pressure cooker is much quicker and I have to admit that I prefer the way they come out...drier... ready to absorb any liquid I add(the potatoes can be quite tasty with some heavy cream:)...though I rarely use cream).

For this post, I used some Yukon gold potatoes, but you can easily use russets. Feel free to adjust quantities.... I LOVE to add a sliced garlic clove to the pot as it gives the mashed potatoes a subtle garlic flavor. I simply make my mashed potatoes using cream cheese and milk...and rarely use butter or cream. Hope you enjoy...

Tip: It is important to drain the potatoes right away...leaving them in the water will make them "glue-y"...especially if they are left covered in water for a long period of time. It is best to always mash potatoes while they are hot... when the potatoes cool down they tend to get glue-y when mashed.

First drain, mash the potatoes with the cream cheese, and then add the milk at the end....adjust seasoning.

You will need:

5-6 medium sized Yukon gold potatoes( or 2 ex-large russets)

1 cup water*

1 garlic clove, sliced

1 oz cream cheese, or to taste

1/2-3/4 cup warm milk, or to taste

salt/pepper to taste

*or enough to cover the bottom of the pot to about 1/2 inch or so.

Additional add-ins/mix-in: adding different vegetables along with the potatoes~some vegetables may need to be cut smaller so that they cook evenly along with the potatoes.

• parsnip
• rutabaga
• sweet potato
• squash
• celery root, etc...

or mix in at the end~

• chopped chives
• leeks
• roasted garlic
• bacon or ham
• sour cream, cream, butter
• grated cheese, even some goat cheese or feta cheese... etc.

Directions:

1. Peel potatoes, cut in 1- 1/2 inch pieces.

2. Pour 1 cup water or enough to cover the bottom of the pot to about 1/2 inch.

3. Season with a generous pinch of salt, and add sliced garlic.

4. Cover with lid, bring up to pressure on high heat. Lower heat to low(simmer).

5. Cook about 8- 9 minutes depending on how small/big the potatoes are cut.

6. Turn off heat and release pressure.

7. Drain and add cream cheese.... mash(most times I use a handheld mixer to get a creamy consistency...I know most chefs don't recommend the mixer, but rather a ricer... the mixer works rather well for me, but feel free to use whatever method works for you... )

8. Thin out with hot milk. Taste for seasoning... and adjust.