Buttery, creamy mash for cottage pie

Toast4532

Hi,

I'm making cottage pie tomorrow and I'm looking for a recipe to get a creamy, buttery potato topping.

Usually I end up with plain, almost dry and flavourless potato topping, I've tried adding extra butter etc to it and it makes no difference.

No matter where I get cottage pie, I always seem to get delicious creamy/butter spuds on top but it never turns out that way for me.

Can you suggest any recipes that will give the results I'm looking for?

Mrs Fox

Steam the potatoes. I find that it retains more flavour than boiling. Press through ricer.
Add warm cream, a block of cold butter, salt, pepper, grated Parmesan, and egg yolk. Whisk briskly.

I'd add more grated Parmesan on top before throwing the pie into the oven.

Seaneh

Lots of butter and/or cream, salt and pepper are all you need.

Some add an egg when making pies topped with spuds, helps create a brown crust on the outside.

Some (most) people add the liquids to mash far too early.


Boil them until they are just before disintegration, drain the water, back into the pot and back onto the heat for a minute while giving it all a good shake, this will drive the last of the steam out and make them less soggy.

Off the heat and give them a good mash, like go mental on it, add the butter (lots of it) salt and pepper and mash again until smooth, then stir in cream or more butter until you have the consistency you want, check for seasoning, add more salt or pepper if you want, and you're good to go.


If you find it hard to get non-lumpy mash, invest in one of these badboys.

vibe666

as has already been said, steaming is definitely the way to go, and a ricer.

lots of butter, salt and pepper and you're good to go.

if it's still seeming dry, add a splash of milk or even cream if you're feeling really decadent.

Dizzyblonde

My tip is to add butter and also some milk (I find all butter makes them heavy), then whisk them - either with a fork or a hand mixer. It makes a huge difference and they'll be light and fluffy.

Edit: I see Mrs Fox also advised whisking

the_syco

When making shepards pie, I loosely followed this video, but I found a half cup of full cream, and some full fat butter made some nice mash.

Steamed the spuds, and then used a hand held mixer to mash the spuds, and then threw in the butter, more mixing, then the cream, more mixing, and then it was done.

When I did it the 2nd time, I put in gradual amounts of cream, to get a decent texture.

rubadub

Toast4532 wrote: »

I've tried adding extra butter etc to it and it makes no difference.

How much butter did you add? I see lots of tv chefs add huge amounts, I thought some were joking when I heard what they added.

Toast4532

Thanks a million everyone. I don't have a ricer, but I do mash them thoroughly so there are no lumps etc. I will look into getting a ricer though if it means creamier spuds.

rubadub wrote: »

How much butter did you add? I see lots of tv chefs add huge amounts, I thought some were joking when I heard what they added.

I would usually add a small amount first and then add more if I needed it.

I don't know exactly how much in weight, but maybe 2-4 tablespoons? That's just a guess though so I could be way off the mark.

rubadub

I think if you overmash them it messes up the structure, and thats why a ricer is better.

http://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipes/heston-blumenthals-perfect-mash

If you want to be extra decadent, go 50:50 potato to butter.

Seaneh

rubadub wrote: »

I think if you overmash them it messes up the structure, and thats why a ricer is better.

http://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipes/heston-blumenthals-perfect-mash

50:50 is insane, would be waaay too rich.

Mrs Fox

When I said whisk after ricing and adding other stuff in, I meant with either a wooden spoon or a balloon whisk. Using mixers, in my opinion and experience, makes the mash gloopy.

Dizzyblonde

Mrs Fox wrote: »

Using mixers, in my opinion and experience, makes the mash gloopy.

I've seen chefs use them on tv but I always use a fork - I find it therapeutic

I like to add egg yolk to the mash topping.

rubadub

Seaneh wrote: »

50:50 is insane, would be waaay too rich.

Thats what I thought too. I must try it, you could set aside a small bit and do it 50/50, if its too rich just add it back to the rest.

Point is the ones he is getting in restaurants could have a hell of a lot more than he would have imagined.

touts

You need to add plenty of butter and a few dashes of milk and it'll come right. Salt and white pepper to season it but I also find a teaspoon or two of Dijon Mustard really adds to the flavour of mash on a cottage pie.

Gokei

Mash the steamed spuds dry
Then add qtr cup of hot milk.

Spread over your mix, then under grill till golden.

Faith

I always, always, always steam potatoes. I can't stand boiled potatoes, yuck. Then I leave the steamed potatoes sit for a few minutes, off the water with the lid off, so they dry out more. I add melted butter, milk, thyme, salt, pepper to my mash (if I have the time and inclination, I add gently fried onions), and at the end, I add a big dollop of mayonnaise. It sounds disgusting but it's a tip I learned from my grandmother who makes the BEST mash ever. I suppose when you think about it, it's not that different from adding an egg yolk.

Mmm, I love mashed potatoes.

Toast4532

Thanks so much everyone.

I'm going to use some tips from here today and see how it turns out, will be mashing by hand as I don't have a ricer, although I am looking into getting one.

I don't have a steamer either (ours seems to have disappeared somewhere) so have to boil them.

Faith

Toast4532 wrote: »

Thanks so much everyone.

I'm going to use some tips from here today and see how it turns out, will be mashing by hand as I don't have a ricer, although I am looking into getting one.

I don't have a steamer either (ours seems to have disappeared somewhere) so have to boil them.

Try draining them, then putting them back in the pot on a very low heat for a little bit once they're cooked. Keep an eye on them, but this will help dry them out and make them closer to steamed potatoes.

It might be just me, but I really think there's nothing worse than watery potatoes.

Oh! And the most important thing is to use a good quality potato. Roosters are probably the easiest to get, but Maris Pipers and Kind Edwards will do too. Don't ever get lured into buying cheap potatoes and never go for anything called a "white potato". You want floury potatoes for mash, not waxy or watery varieties.

hardCopy

rubadub wrote: »

How much butter did you add? I see lots of tv chefs add huge amounts, I thought some were joking when I heard what they added.

If you just keep adding butter until it tastes like restaurant mash you end up horrified at the amount they must be using.

PS: A bit of grated cheddar is nice in the pie topping.

Princess Peach

I've been adding half-fat creme fraiche to my mashed potatoes, so creamy.

Can use full fat obviously!

Toast4532

Faith wrote: »

Try draining them, then putting them back in the pot on a very low heat for a little bit once they're cooked. Keep an eye on them, but this will help dry them out and make them closer to steamed potatoes.

It might be just me, but I really think there's nothing worse than watery potatoes.

Oh! And the most important thing is to use a good quality potato. Roosters are probably the easiest to get, but Maris Pipers and Kind Edwards will do too. Don't ever get lured into buying cheap potatoes and never go for anything called a "white potato". You want floury potatoes for mash, not waxy or watery varieties.

I always dry them in saucepan, or sometimes the oven if I've got a lot to dry, but generally use the pot for it.

We have pinks, are they okay? They are nice and floury, not heavy.

Faith

Toast4532 wrote: »

I always dry them in saucepan, or sometimes the oven if I've got a lot to dry, but generally use the pot for it.

We have pinks, are they okay? They are nice and floury, not heavy.

Yeah I'd think they'll be fine

Toast4532

Thanks Faith.

Another question - unrelated to spuds.

Yesterday I asked my bf to bring home red wine (and specified which one I wanted) for cooking, but he brought home another one, the one he brought home is J.P Chenet Vin Rouge, which according to Google is a fruit wine. Does it have a sweet flavour? Would it leave a sweet flavour in the pie sauce?

I normally use another JP wine in cooking and it's a dry wine, so there's no fruit flavour which I like as I don't like sweet flavours in savoury food.

rubadub

If you use a pressure cooker to steam them you can quickly vent towards the end and take the lid off, this lets them dry off nicely. The pressure cooker will have a temp over 100C in it. When vented quickly the potatoes can still be over 100C inside in their core so dry easily.

Merkin

Toast4532 wrote: »

Thanks Faith.

Another question - unrelated to spuds.

Yesterday I asked my bf to bring home red wine (and specified which one I wanted) for cooking, but he brought home another one, the one he brought home is J.P Chenet Vin Rouge, which according to Google is a fruit wine. Does it have a sweet flavour? Would it leave a sweet flavour in the pie sauce?

I normally use another JP wine in cooking and it's a dry wine, so there's no fruit flavour which I like as I don't like sweet flavours in savoury food.

My rule of thumb is never to cook with a wine I wouldn't drink (which can work out bloody expensive if you're me as I am quite fussy about wine!)

Something like a JP Chenet is just an ordinary French table wine and is fine to cook with Toast, especially if you've got red meat in there. Although described as "fruity" it won't actually be sweet so fine for casseroles, bolognese and other cooking. Just make sure to reduce it well while cooking and you'll be left with a nice wine aroma as opposed to any sweetness or anything like that.

the beer revolu

Toast4532 wrote: »

Thanks Faith.

Another question - unrelated to spuds.

Yesterday I asked my bf to bring home red wine (and specified which one I wanted) for cooking, but he brought home another one, the one he brought home is J.P Chenet Vin Rouge, which according to Google is a fruit wine. Does it have a sweet flavour? Would it leave a sweet flavour in the pie sauce?

I normally use another JP wine in cooking and it's a dry wine, so there's no fruit flavour which I like as I don't like sweet flavours in savoury food.

I'm a bit confused here. All wine is made from fruit - primarily grapes.
Vin Rouge means red wine - I'd imagine it will be medium to dry rather than sweet. Do you have a link to where google described it as a fruit wine?
I'd imagine it is fine for cooking with.

Toast4532

Merkin wrote: »

My rule of thumb is never to cook with a wine I wouldn't drink (which can work out bloody expensive if you're me as I am quite fussy about wine!)

Something like a JP Chenet is just an ordinary French table wine and is fine to cook with Toast, especially if you've got red meat in there. Although described as "fruity" it won't actually be sweet so fine for casseroles, bolognese and other cooking. Just make sure to reduce it well while cooking and you'll be left with a nice wine aroma as opposed to any sweetness or anything like that.

I don't drink wine at all so I am clueless about it.

The wine was fine to use, and added a nice touch to the sauce also, and as you said, there was no sweetness at all.

the beer revolu wrote: »

I'm a bit confused here. All wine is made from fruit - primarily grapes.
Vin Rouge means red wine - I'd imagine it will be medium to dry rather than sweet. Do you have a link to where google described it as a fruit wine?
I'd imagine it is fine for cooking with.

I don't have a link unfortunately and the history on my laptop is cleared every night If I find the site again I will PM you a link.

I also got the type of spud I was looking for - I had to use far more butter than I ever thought I would and about 1/4 of a 250ml tub of cream, luckily I don't make it often, with that amount of butter and cream I'd have cholesterol problems in no time!

Thanks for your help everyone.

Merkin

Toast4532 wrote: »

I also got the type of spud I was looking for - I had to use far more butter than I ever thought I would and about 1/4 of a 250ml tub of cream, luckily I don't make it often, with that amount of butter and cream I'd have cholesterol problems in no time!

Have a great little tip for you for really creamy and luxurious mash. I steam the spuds and then mash them using a little milk and also either Laughing Cow or LowLow cheese spread mashed in through them. It doesn't give a cheesy taste really but a nice creamy consistency but without all the calories!

bizzyb

I recently bought a ricer in Tesco for €10, its the best gadget in my kitchen. With butter and a little milk it gives a beautiful smooth mash, i also like to add a little mayonaise.

oscarBravo

Another vote for a ricer here. I got one in Ikea a while back and now I won't make mash without it.