Creamed Red Potatoes - Old Fashioned But Still In Style
Creamed Red Potatoes - Silky Creamy
If you're a potato lover and have never tried creamed potatoes, you'll want to try this classic recipe. I was first introduced to creamed potatoes for the first time through my mother-in-law who grew up on a dairy farm; thus, incorporated everything dairy into the family dinners. My husband typically makes these as his contribution to our meals and has now handed down the wooden spoon, or should I say crooked ladle, over to me. I happen to like a good amount of sauce with my potatoes; but the volume of sauce for this recipe can be easily increased or decreased as I describe how to achieve this below. Also, the type of potato doesn't really matter if you wish to use a different kind. I like to use red potatoes because I think they have less starchy flavor than the russets. Plus, Reds and Yukon's don't need peeling like russets might require. These creamed potatoes are especially terrific with any meat dish and can transform a meal from good to great!
Serves: 6 to 8
Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cook Time: 35 Minutes
Suggested Tools:
. Large serving bowl
. Large pot
. Large skillet
. Colander
. Cup such as coffee cup (for mixing cornstarch and milk)
. Measuring cup
. Tablespoon
. Sharp knife
. Stir spoon
. Kitchen scissors
Ingredients:
. 8 to 10 large red potatoes
. 5 cups whole milk
. 5 tablespoons corn starch
or flour
. 1 teaspoon salt
. ½ teaspoon pepper
Optional: 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives or parsley
Instructions:
1. Boil enough water to cover the potatoes by an inch or two in a large stock pot. Cut potatoes in half and add them to the boiling water. Boil for about 25 minutes on medium heat while the water is still in a slow boil. Test for doneness with a dinner fork. Drain the potatoes in a colander.
2. While the potatoes are boiling, begin making the white sauce by first melting 3 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet on low heat.
3. Place one tablespoon of cornstarch in a cup and then add ½ cup milk and stir to combine (you could also put the contents in a lidded jar and shake). Pour the milk/cornstarch mixture into the melted butter, continuing on low heat, and stir or whisk until blended. Once you start to see a little thickness of the sauce, add another half cup of only milk and stir until you see some thickening in the sauce. Stir until there are no or few lumps. Continue this incremental process through the use of five cups of milk to cornstarch combination in total - meaning one tablespoon of cornstarch for every cup of milk.
Note: If you want to increase or decrease the amount of white sauce - for decreasing, use four incremental steps of the cornstarch/milk, thus decreasing by one cup. To increase the white sauce, use six cups of cornstarch/milk increments.
To view a video on how the thinkness of the white sauce should be, click video below.
4. Once the potatoes are cooked and tested for doneness with a fork, place them in a colander and allow the water to drain until the white sauce is ready.
Note: If your potatoes finish cooking before your sauce is ready, just let the potatoes rest in the colander until the white sauce is ready.
5. Once the sauce is cooked off, place the potatoes back in their original stock pot (without water) on low heat and pour the cream sauce from the skillet over the potatoes, turning to coat. Once the potatoes and cream sauce are heated, pour all into a large serving bowl. Sprinkle with chopped chives and a pat or two of butter on top, if desired.
Note: If you find that your main dish is not yet ready when your white sauce is done, just let your white sauce rest in the skillet before starting step 5 above and heat the sauce back up later when the main dish is ready. This may require adding more milk to the white sauce, as needed, if you wish to thin the sauce down because after it rests, it tends to thicken more.
Optional: At the step 5 stage, toss in one cup cooked frozen peas (cooked according to the package and drained) and combine with potatoes.
The Crooked Ladle
Savor the taste