Pimiento Cheese Mashed Potatoes
Folks have their ways of cooking things, and there are often dishes they dare not vary. From cornbread recipes and secret formulas for comeback sauce, change can be difficult for the home cook.
The husband and I decided to join one of those meal kit delivery services. After the introductory price wears off, the sticker shock can become daunting, but there were many great positives about the experience.
Really, having a batch of ingredients, some out of the ordinary, or not what is typically available to us in a rural Mississippi town, was a pleasant experience, but the best thing was stepping away from my ordinary Southern fare and learning to make some simple sauces.
It made me a better cook.
So, when we got the ingredients and the recipe for pimiento mashed potatoes, I had a “duh” moment of “why have I never thought of that before?”
Two favorite dishes begging for a fusion.
When it comes to mashed potatoes, I did learn long ago not to overdo the dairy – whether butter, milk, cream, cheese, or sour cream. There can be too much of a good thing. Adding too much dairy fat to all that boiled starch makes the dish seize up, become less appealing texturally, and drowns out the natural, earthy taste of the potatoes.
The cure? Save at least a cup of the salted potato water, and you can mash and thin the potatoes into a beautiful, silky texture, or with some remaining lumps, but easily to your exact liking.
Trust me. This dish doesn’t even need butter. The flavors are that great.
A note about pimientos – if they do not sell them wherever you live (and they can be hell to find in Wally World), you may substitute jarred, roasted red bell peppers. They aren’t exactly the same thing as pimientos, but they are close enough in flavor and texture to be interchangeable.
And grate your cheese, please! It makes all the difference in the world. As Maggie has pointed out on this blog, whatever they use to keep shredded cheese shredded is kind of creepy and also keeps it from being less melty.
Enjoy …
Pimiento Cheese Mashed Potatoes
1 1/2 lbs. small golden potatoes, medium dice
4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
Olive oil, drizzle
4 oz. jar pimientos or roasted red bell peppers, drained and diced
1/2 tsp onion powder
4 oz. white cheddar cheese (grated from an 8 oz. block)
4 scallions, sliced, green parts only (optional for garnish)
Butter (optional topping)
Directions
Salt enough water to cover the potatoes in a deep pot. Add smashed garlic. Boil for 16-18 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.
Reserve 1 cup of the potato water then drain potatoes and return to the pot. Drizzle with olive oil.
Mash the potatoes with a potato masher. Add the pimentos, onion powder, and a half cup of the reserved water. Stir well.
Add the cheese and stir to incorporate. Add additional reserved water, as needed, and stir to your desired texture.
Salt and pepper to taste. Top potatoes with scallions and/or butter, though the potatoes are fine without either.