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<item>
  <id>11936</id>
  <title>The Basics: How to Make Mashed Potatoes</title>
  <published_at>Fri Oct 30 13:34:00 -0700 2009</published_at>
  <link>http://www.chow.com/stories/11936</link>
  <pubDate>Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:34:00 GMT</pubDate>
  <short_description>Creamy, buttery, and good with Thanksgiving gravy</short_description>
  <long_description>Creamy, buttery, and good with Thanksgiving gravy.</long_description>
  <img>http://www.chow.com</img>
  <author>none</author>
  <category>
    <id>91</id>
    <name>The Basics</name>
  </category>
  <pages>
    <page>
      <page_number>1</page_number>
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        <![CDATA[<div id="basics">

<div id="header">
<h1>The Basics: How to Make Mashed Potatoes</h1>
<h3>Creamy, buttery, and good with Thanksgiving gravy</h3>
</div>

<div id="intro"><p>From the store to the kitchen to the table: We outline the steps that get you from raw ingredients to your dinner tonight, free of measurements and complicated techniques. It&#8217;s a method you&#8217;ll remember and whip out whenever you like. It is the most basic way to make the thing you&#8217;re making.</p></div>

<ul id="items">

<li class="heading">WHAT YOU&#8217;LL NEED:</li>
<li>- a vegetable peeler</li>
<li>- a large pot</li>
<li>- a potato masher</li>
<li>- four or five large russet potatoes</li>
<li>- salt and pepper</li>
<li>- a stick of butter</li>
<li>- a pint of cream</li>

</ul>

<div id="steps">

<p class="heading">WHAT YOU&#8217;LL DO: </p><p class="pdf"><a href="/galleries/46">VIEW ONE STEP AT A TIME</a> | <a href="/assets/2009/10/basics_mashed_potatoes.pdf" onmouseover="preview(1);" onmouseout="preview(0);">PRINT PDF</a></p>

<ul>

<li><p><strong>1.</strong> <strong>Wash and peel</strong> the potatoes, then <strong>cut</strong> them into large chunks and place them in the pot.</p><img src="/assets/2009/10/1_mashedpotatoes_Peel.jpg" alt="Step 1" /></li><div class="divider"></div>
<li><p><strong>2.</strong> Cover the potatoes with <strong>cold water</strong> by an inch or two and add a generous amount of salt. (You want the <strong>water to taste like the ocean.</strong>) Place the pot on the stove over <strong>high heat.</strong></p><img src="/assets/2009/10/2_mashedpotatoes_SaltBoil.jpg" alt="Step 2" /></li><div class="divider"></div>
<li><p><strong>3.</strong> Once the water boils, <strong>reduce the heat and simmer</strong> the potatoes until they are <strong>easily pierced with a knife,</strong> about 20 minutes.</p><img src="/assets/2009/10/3_mashedpotatoes_SimmerKnifeCheck.jpg" alt="Step 3" /></li><div class="divider"></div>
<li><p><strong>4.</strong> <strong>Drain</strong> the potatoes in a colander and let them rest in the sink while you prepare the butter and cream. </p><img src="/assets/2009/10/4_mashedpotatoes_DrainCollander.jpg" alt="Step 4" /></li><div class="divider"></div>
<li><p><strong>5.</strong> Combine the butter and cream <strong>in the pot you cooked the potatoes in.</strong> Cook over low heat, stirring until the <strong>butter has melted and the cream is hot.</strong></p><img src="/assets/2009/10/5_mashedpotatoes_ButterCreamPot.jpg" alt="Step 5" /></li><div class="divider"></div>
<li><p><strong>6.</strong> Turn off the heat and <strong>add the drained potatoes</strong> to the hot butter-cream mixture. <strong>Mash</strong> the potatoes until they are fluffy and creamy. Season with <strong>salt and pepper</strong> to taste. See more <a href="/stories/11933">Thanksgiving Basics</a>.</p><img src="/assets/2009/10/6_mashedpotatoes_Mash.jpg" alt="Step 6" /></li>

</ul>

</div>

	<p><i>Illustrations by <a target="blank" href="http://profilereportage.com/">Bill Russell</a></i></p>


<div id="preview"><img src="/assets/2009/10/basics_potatoes_preview.jpg" alt="PDF" /></div>
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