• prep: 10 min
• cook: 1 hr
• total: 1 hr 10 min

servings:

Adapted from Sally Schneider's A New Way To Cook.  Notes: Potatoes: If possible use something like Yellow Finns or Yukon Golds, which become extremely creamy when mashed. If made with baking potatoes, the result will be grainy and watery. Gear: For the smoothest potatoes, pass the potatoes through a food mill or a ricer before adding the buttermilk and reserved cooking liquid in step 2. As noted in the post, I love this Zyliss Potato Masher.  Buttermilk: Use whole milk buttermilk if possible. Low-fat buttermilk won't impart the same creaminess and richness, and it might impart more tartness as well. The original recipe calls for warming the buttermilk, but I find as long as I measure it and leave it at room temperature when I start boiling the potatoes, it works just fine.  Herby garnish: As noted in the post, I spoon the garnish over only half of the potatoes, and I leave half of the potatoes plain for the children. If you like the idea of using this garnish over all of the potatoes, I would double it, and use a larger skillet.  Roasted Garlic Variation: After the potatoes are mashed, add two heads of roasted garlic cloves to the pot. Stir to combine. 

• 1 3/4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks (you’ll have about 1 1/2 pounds of potatoes post peeling) 
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature, see notes above
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Flaky sea salt, if you have it
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced, to yield a heaping half cup or so
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 to 4 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

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