I can’t remember the last time we had mashed potatoes from a box. Just the thought of it brings to mind the empty feeling I get from any foods that are simply a semblance of real food. I know it’s convenient, economical and sometimes the only option for people, but perhaps if we looked to our grandparents and those before them and how not everything they made from scratch in their kitchens was difficult, messy and unworthy of our time. In fact, a recipe for mashed potatoes is one of those things that you learn how to make once or twice and you’re good for life. Never be intimidated by the process of boiling, peeling and mixing- and there definitely is no need for fancy gadgets like the one I’ve used below- a simple hand masher will do the trick just as well.
Here goes…
Maybe the most difficult part is peeling the potatoes. If that is too cumbersome, make it a rustic mashed potatoes dish and leave the peels on (just make sure you scrub the surfaces very clean before boiling). I also add a couple parsnips to the mix just because I like the added texture they give to the potatoes, but if you don’t have them or don’t want to use them, just leave them out altogether.
For 3-5 pounds of potatoes, I place peeled and quartered potatoes in a large Dutch oven of salted boiling water and cook on medium-high for about 30 minutes.
Simply stick a knife or fork into the potatoes to test their softness.
Drain immediately and let them cool a bit.
*At this point, you can even leave them in the fridge, covered, overnight and work on the next part when you’re ready. The only difference here is that you should reheat the potatoes (i.e. in the microwave) before making additions and mixing it all together.
Next, either place the potatoes in a large bowl or in your stand mixer (you can do this in parts if you have a large amount here like I did. Add salt and pepper generously but if you’re also going to top with gravy, you may want to hold back a little on the salt.
Next add the sour cream. I use whole milk sour cream, just my preference as any other type makes the potatoes watery, in my opinion.
And the whole milk (for the same reason). I always warm up the milk because I don’t like cold milk in warm potatoes. Also add softened butter, unsalted so you can control the amount of salt overall.
Use the paddle attachment for the stand mixer if you’re using that appliance.
With the stand mixer, you should be able to reach a desired consistency within 30 seconds on medium-high. Always be careful not to over mix, as the potatoes will become gluey.
Top with fresh or dried herbs and/or your favorite recipe for gravy.
Now you can tweak, enjoy, and make it over and over again!
My mom used to make these potatoes often when I was growing up. I’m not quite sure where she got the recipe, but she used to read a lot of cookbooks and magazines to get ideas, and when a dish worked (i.e we all liked it), she kept making it.
Have you ever tried goat meat? If you’ve seen them in real life, they’re not as meaty as those furry and cuddly lambs we all love to pet, though they’re cute and gentle creatures created for traversing rocky terrain around the world. When it comes to cooking goat meat, it can be a lot bonier than lamb, so some people have a difficult time justifiying the need to cook it when lamb is plentiful. I say, as long as it’s halal, I’ll try anything new– although we don’t have it often, goat meat is not new to me but this recipe is…
My friends and I decided to get together for an Iftar (breaking of the fast dinner). We thought having a theme would be a great way to focus on the food, as well as make it easier to come up with dishes each one of us would be responsible to make. We got together a couple hours before sunset and cooked together. It was fun and went fast since we were all doing something to contribute to the meal. I made the Seafood and Chicken Paella as well as the Sangria Fabricada (non-alcoholic fruit juice drink with real fruit added) and a few other things. Scroll down to see the complete menu.
Sangria Fabricada (Non-Alcoholic Grape Juice with Fresh Fruits)
Mango Sorbet & Fresh Mango Dessert
Fresh Ricotta, Honey and Blackberry Jam Dessert with Biscotti
Baked Mussels in Tomato Sauce (Add a bit of grape juice to the pan and bake at 350º for about 30 minutes). Topped with fresh parsley. Discard any mussels that do not open.
The pics above show some of our side dishes from top left corner, clockwise: Mixed Olive Salad; Salty, Smoked & Toasted Almonds; Sicilian Red Pepper & Olive Salad; Patatas Bravas with Marinara Sauce
Above was the Sangria Fabricada (non-alcoholic Fruit Juice). To it I added oranges, lemons, limes, peaches and two kinds of grapes. It was delicious!
The Spanish Tortilla is a classic Spanish tapa, or appetizer and must be had at any Spanish-themed party. Cut into bite-size pieces and served with toothpicks, it goes great with other Mediterranean dishes. It’s basically a thick omelette packed with potatoes and onions- hearty and savory.
This post was written to give you an idea of some of the dishes you can prepare if you’re planning a Spanish-themed party or dinner, but also to show how choosing a theme can really make things easier for yourself and fun if you’re cooking with friends and family. I am blessed to know some of the nicest human beings on the planet and even more fortunate to be able to call them my friends. Whatever you make, I suggest do it with those whose company you enjoy the most.
I’ll try to make the recipes available on My Halal Kitchen soon. For now, let it serve as inspiration for your own cooking. Let me know what you have cooking!
Among Mexicans and many Americans, the word ‘tortilla’ is commonly understood to be the type of corn or flour-based flat bread used to fill with things like rice, beans and meat. In Spain, however, ‘tortilla’ is more of a thick egg omelet, sometimes filled with things like shredded chicken and served as an appetizer or a sandwich on thick and hearty Spanish baguettes. When I was a student in Spain, my host mother used to make this very big sandwich every time I had a class excursion out of town. It was completely filling and nourished me on a day full of fun and adventure outdoors, but I never learned how to make it- just eat it!
That said, Spanish Tortilla is good cold and makes an excellent packed lunch or picnic dish. For party food, you can even cut a tortilla into squares and put toothpicks in each bite for people to serve themselves a tapa, or a snack.
Recently, I re-wrote the recipe with a better method than I’d been using. I saw an episode of Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown show where at a small Moroccan stall one man served it with mayo and ketchup slathered on top (which is actually quite good when you sub tomato sauce for the ketchup). I went back to my own recipe and revised- so much better than the first few times (even though the previous version was good, too).
The 
