Feast of Starlight

food inspired by our favorite stories

Friends: Three Kinds of Potatoes

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Friends: Three Kinds of Potatoes recipe

Friends: Three Kinds of Potatoes

Joey: Hey, Monica, I got a question. I don’t see any tater tots.

Monica: That’s not a question.

Joey: But my mom always makes them. It’s like a tradition. You get a little piece of turkey on your fork, a little cranberry sauce, and a tot! It’s bad enough I can’t be with my family because of my disease.

Monica: All right, fine. Tonight’s potatoes will be both mashed with lumps, and in the form of tots.

Friends, Season One

Monica: What, Phoebe, did you whip the potatoes? Ross needs lumps!

Phoebe: Oh, I’m sorry, oh, I just, I thought we could have them whipped and then add some peas and onions.

Monica: Why would we do that?

Phoebe: Well, ’cause then they’d be like my mom used to make them, you know, before she died.

Monica: Ok, three kinds of potatoes coming up.

Friends, Season One

Nothing is worse on the holidays when you’re responsible for cooking for a large group and you start feeling like a short order cook. When Monica realized she was cooking for all her friends on Thanksgiving, she ended up having to make three kinds of potato dishes. Mash potatoes with lumps, whipped potatoes with onions and pea, and tater tots. Things were going well until they were locked out of their apartment and dinner was ruined. They ended up eating grilled cheese and Funyuns but here are the three dishes Monica intended on making.

Potatoes are a must on my Thanksgiving table so I hope these recipes can possibly help you on Thanksgiving. These recipes can be made ahead of time but just be sure of warm through before dinner. You might need more liquid to help bring it back to the consistency you want. I’ll be posting the tater tot recipe tomorrow so make sure to come back for that!

Friends: Three Kinds of Potatoes

Mash Potatoes with Lumps

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Equipment:

  • potato masher

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds – russet potatoes, cleaned, sliced in half widthwise
  • 1/2 cup / 4oz – cream
  • 2 tbsp – unsalted butter
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Place the potatoes in a pot of cold water with enough water to cover the potatoes by 2 inches.  Season the water with a large pinch of salt and bring it to a simmer. Cook until a knife or fork easily pierces through to the center of the potato.
  2. Heat the cream and butter in a saucepan just until warm. Drain the potatoes and carefully take off the skin. Place the potatoes in a bowl with the warm cream and butter and mash together with a potato masher. The potato masher will help create lumps.  Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.

Whipped Potatoes with Onions and Peas

  • Servings: 5
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Equipment:

  • Electric Whisk

Ingredients:

  • 3 pounds – Yukon Gold Potatoes, Cleaned, Peeled and Quartered
  • 2 tbsp – unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp – sour cream
  • 1/2 cup – cream
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 – yellow onion, large, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup – green peas
  • 3-4 tbsp – olive oil

Directions:

  1. Place the potatoes in a large pot with enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a simmer and cook until soft and fork tender.
  2. While the potatoes are cooking, heat a skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the onions and season with salt. Cook for 20 minutes until the onions are golden and soft. Stir occasionally to prevent burning. Add the peas at the end and cook until hot. Heat the cream and butter until warm.
  3. Drain the potatoes and place the it into a bowl with the warm cream and butter. Lightly mash it with a potato masher. Beat the mixture with an electric mix. Add the sour cream and mix to combine. Season with salt and pepper and serve with the onions and peas on top.

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