The humble potato has a prominent place in Irish history–enough so that we first thought a potato dish might be too much of a stereotype for our St. Patrick’s Day Dinner. As it turns out, serving potatoes is really kind of a St. Patrick’s Day tradition in reverse. It’s been a centuries-old tradition–even from the days when America was new and teeming with immigrants from all over Europe–for Irish Americans to break ground (in the still somewhat-frozen soil) and plant potatoes on St. Patrick’s Day. [photo via flickr]
Today, potatos are an almost vital part of our dining tradition. They’re harvested by means the early immigrants could never have even envisioned while braving the cold to appease Mother Nature for another year. While the ways to serve these noble spuds are practically endless, nothing says comfort food quite like mashed potatoes. It’s the one dish that practically everyone can agree upon and enjoy. As an alternative to the traditional boiled potatoes popular for St. Patrick’s Day, here’s a recipe that provides plenty of flavor with a rich, creamy twist…
Ingredients
6 medium to large red skin potatoes (peeled or unpeeled)
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon butter
½ to ¾ cup sour cream (not low fat)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper
Directions
- The potatoes will taste best if boiled or roasted with your corned beef but they can also be boiled separately in salted water until fork tender.
- In a medium size pot, add the butter and garlic and cook on medium heat just until the butter melts completely. Do not let the butter scorch.
- Remove the pot from the heat and add the potatoes. Mash the potatoes to the desired consistency. Add salt, pepper and sour cream. Mix to combine.
- If the potatoes are too stiff, add sour cream one or two tablespoons at a time until desired consistency is achieved. If you have pan-roasted your corned beef, you can also add some of the pan drippings to flavor the potatoes.
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