Mashed potatoes are better when you cut them with cauliflower or celery root (or rutabagas, parsnips, or turnips, you get the idea!) and simmer everything together in a mix of milk and water. I learned this technique from Alex Lee of Daniel NYC—here’s the official recipe for Celery Root Mashed Potatoes that I make for the holidays. When I’m cooking regular meals, I usually wing it a bit with mashed potatoes depending on what I have on hand.
Weeknight Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 or 3 gold potatoes, peeled and halved Yukon gold or other local potato
- 1 small cauliflower (softball-size) or celery root or rutabaga or turnip or parsnip
- 1 sprig thyme optional but great if you have it!
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup water
- 2-4 tablespoons butter
Instructions
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Cut small cauliflower in quarters; if large, use a heaping cup of florets. If using celery root, knife-peel then quarter; same with any other vegetable you'd like to add, like rutabaga etc..
Put all in deep saucepan: potatoes, cauliflower or celery root, thyme spring, milk, and water to just cover (add additional milk/cream/water if needed but try to keep the 50/50 ratio for best results).
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Bring to boil and lower heat to a simmer; simmer 5 or 6 minutes covered then uncovered for 20 minutes until vegetables are fork-tender.
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Using a potato ricer set over a warmed serving bowl, rice the potatoes and cauliflower/celery root. Add butter and stir to melt and combine, adding spoonfuls of the cooking liquid to get desired consistency.
Hold mashed potatoes in warm serving bowl covered with foil.
