Recipe Instructions:
4 large russet potatoes (about 2 pounds total)
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
3/4 cup milk
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
Freshly ground pepper
Peel the potatoes and rinse them under cold water. Cut each into quarters and place in a 3- to 4-quart sauce pan. Cover with cold water, partially cover the pot, and bring the water to a boil. Uncover, add 1 teaspoon of salt, and reduce the heat so that the water boils gently. Cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 10 to 12 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the milk to just below a simmer. In a separate pan, melt the butter. (Alternatively, use a microwave to warm the milk and melt the butter in separate containers.)
Drain the potatoes and return them to the warm pan over low heat for 1 minute to evaporate any excess water. Use a potato masher, ricer, or food mill to mash the potatoes. Stir the butter into the potatoes. Then add the milk, a little at a time, until the potatoes are as soft and moist as you like. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, or keep warm in the top of a double boiler for up to an hour, or cover and rewarm in a microwave oven.
