Vanilla Mashed Potatoes

• servings: Serves 4-6

Ingredients

Suggested: pair with “Mothered Oxtail Stew” and “Spicy Collared Greens” Recipe

150ml milk

1 vanilla pod or 1 Tbsp vanilla bean paste

50ml heavy cream

1000g floury potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

100g unsalted butter

2 fat garlic cloves, peeled

20g fresh chives, finely chopped

Directions

Pour the milk into a saucepan and bring to a boil.

Place the vanilla pod on the chopping board and, using a paring knife, lightly slice into the pod.

Open up and flatten and use the back of your knife to gently scrape the seeds out. Add the seeds and the pod to the milk and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the cream and mix well to combine.

Meanwhile, place the potatoes in a large saucepan filled with cold salted water. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil over a medium heat. Remove the lid and cook for 15-20 minutes, until cooked through.

Remove from the heat, drain the potatoes and return them to the hot pot. Cover to keep the potatoes steamed and dry.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan and add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute over a medium-low heat, then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for a few minutes.

Mash the potatoes until smooth-use the paddle attachment of your freestanding mixer, if you have one.

Reserve 1-2 tablespoons of the garlic butter from the saucepan, then stir the remaining butter into the potatoes until well combined.

Remove the vanilla pod from the cream and milk mixture, then pour the liquid over the potatoes.

Season with fine sea salt and use a wooden spoon to fold the mix, then beat to wonderful fluffy clouds.

Spoon the mashed potatoes into a large serving bowl and use the back of your spoon to create "wells" in the mash. Drizzle the reserved garlic butter over the potatoes, so the butter collects in the wells, and season with freshly ground grains of paradise or black pepper. Scatter over the chives and dig in.

Notes

From: Africana by Lerato Umah-Shaylor

PAIR WITH: Mothered Oxtail Stew + Vanilla Mashed Potatoes + spicy collared greens

“Best meal I’ve had this year” - Cult Flav