Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes - gold potatoes

Method

• In covered 5-quart saucepot, combine potatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, and enough water to cover; heat to boiling on high.
• Reduce heat to low; simmer, covered, until fork-tender, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in 12-inch nonstick skillet, melt margarine on medium.
• Add green onions and cook 3 to 5 minutes or just until tender, stirring occasionally.
• Add buttermilk; heat to lukewarm (don't worry if buttermilk separates; it comes back together in the mixing), stirring occasionally.
• Remove skillet from heat.
• Drain potatoes.
• Return potatoes to saucepot and heat on low to dry slightly, about 2 minutes, tossing occasionally.
• With potato masher, coarsely mash potatoes.
• Add buttermilk mixture, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; continue mashing until almost smooth.
• Reheat potatoes if necessary.
• Makes about 8 1/2 cups.
• To make Classic Parsley Mashed Potatoes: Prepare potatoes as above in step 1.
• Omit green onions and all of step 2.
• In step 3, coarsely mash potatoes with 1/2 cup margarine or butter (1 stick), cut up.
• Instead of buttermilk, add 1 1/2 cups whole milk, warmed, along with salt and pepper, and mash until potatoes are almost smooth.
• Stir in 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley to serve.
• Makes about 8 cups.Each serving: About 245 calories, 4 g protein, 34 g carbohydrate, 11 g total fat (2 g saturated), 2 g fiber, 5 mg cholesterol, 440 mg sodium.To make Mashed Potatoes with Root Vegetables: Prepare potatoes as above in step 1, but use only 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, and add 2 pounds (3 medium) celery root (celeriac), peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces, and 1 pound parsnips (6 medium), peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces.
• Omit green onions and all of step 2.
• In step 3, drain vegetables, then press through holes in bottom of rotary food mill into same saucepot instead of drying and mashing; increase margarine or butter to 5 tablespoons and stir in along with salt and pepper, and omit buttermilk.
• (If you do not have a food mill, you can mash vegetables with potato masher, but texture will not be quite as smooth.)
• Makes about 7 cups.
• Each serving: About 190 calories, 3 g protein, 28 g carbohydrate, 6 g total fat (1 g saturated), 4 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 405 mg sodium.