MASHED POTATOES WITH WILD MUSHROOMS

6 tablespoons butter, divided
3/4 pound small white mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
1/4 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, cleaned, sliced
1/4 pound cremini mushrooms, cleaned, thinly sliced
1 large shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
2 to 2 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
1/2 to 3/4 cup hot half-and-half
3 tablespoons snipped fresh chives
1/4 teaspoon pepper or to taste

In a large skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add all of the sliced mushrooms, the shallot, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are tender and dry, about 12 minutes. Remove from the heat. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and add enough cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and cook 15 to 20 minutes, or until tender. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Drain the potatoes. Press the hot potatoes through a ricer or a coarse sieve back into the saucepan, or mash them in the pan. Gradually stir in enough of the hot half-and-half and enough reserved cooking liquid to make the potatoes fluffy. Return the skillet with the mushrooms to medium heat and reheat them, stirring often. Blend the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and the chives and pepper into the potatoes. Add the hot mushrooms and stir to combine. Serve at once.

Makes 8 servings.

From "50 Best Mashed Potatoes," Susan Reynolds (Broadway, $10)

Tested by Sylvia Rector for the Free Press Test Kitchen

213 calories (45% from fat), 11 grams fat (7 grams sat. fat), 27 grams carbohydrate, 4 grams protein, 325 mg sodium, 29 mg cholesterol, 33 mg calcium, 3 grams fiber

Printed by permission from the Detroit Free Press. 1999.

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