Creamy Smashed Potatoes With Bacon Food

BACON-AND-CHEESE SMASHED POTATOES

Steps:

• Put the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Season generously with salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until very tender, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, 7 to 8 minutes; transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
• Drain the potatoes and return to the saucepan over low heat; cook until any remaining water evaporates, about 2 minutes. Add the butter, then gradually mash in the sour cream with a potato masher. Stir in the bacon and chives, reserving 1 tablespoon of each. Transfer to a serving dish; top with cheddar and the remaining bacon and chives.

SOUR CREAM MASHED POTATOES WITH BACON AND CHIVES

Steps:

• Put the potatoes in a medium pot, cover with cold water and add 2 tablespoons salt. Bring just to a simmer and cook the potatoes, uncovered, until tender, about 45 minutes. Drain.
• Peel the potatoes and return them to the pot (if desired, pass them through a ricer or food mill after peeling). Mash the potatoes with the sour cream and butter using a fork or potato masher. Stir in the bacon, chives, 2 teaspoons salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
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SMASHED POTATOES WITH BACON SALT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lay 4 bacon slices on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden brown and crisp, about 10 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels; let cool completely.
• Make the bacon salt (see below). Store extra in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks, or freeze up to 2 months.
• Put the potatoes and the remaining 2 bacon slices in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes. Drain, discarding the bacon slices.
• Combine the butter with the milk in the same pot and let melt over medium-low heat. Return the potatoes to the pot and mash them with a potato masher or fork. Add 1 tablespoon of the prepared bacon salt and stir to combine; transfer the potatoes to a bowl and top with more bacon salt.
• How to make Bacon Salt:
• Pulse the cooked bacon in a food processor until finely ground. Spread on paper towels and blot the excess grease.
• Combine the bacon and salt in a small bowl and rub between your fingers until incorporated.
• Photo by Con Poulos

MASHED POTATOES WITH BACON & GARLIC

Steps:

• Roasted garlic: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Slice off the top of the garlic head to expose the cloves; place in center of a sheet of foil. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over the top and season generously with salt. Wrap in foil and bake in the oven until golden and tender, about 1 hour.
• Potatoes: Cut peeled potatoes into ½-inch dice. (Note: Potatoes can be peeled and diced 1 day in advance. Store completely submerged in cold water in the refrigerator, changing the water every few hours to prevent browning.) Place diced potatoes into a pot filled with cold salted water (as "salty as the sea"). Bring to a boil over high heat, 6-8 minutes. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook until fork tender, 15-20 minutes.
• Bacon bits: In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp and browned, about 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer bacon bits to a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve the bacon fat in a small bowl and set aside.
• Return the pan to stove over low heat, and add just enough half-and-half to coat the bottom of the pan. Use a wooden spatula to deglaze the pan, scraping up all the browned bits (or "fond"). When small bubbles form around the edges of the pan, add the rest of the half-and-half. Stir until warmed through, then remove from heat.
• Potatoes are done cooking when you can easily cut a piece in half with a fork. Drain potatoes in a colander, then add back to the pot. Turn heat to medium-low and let them dry, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 1-2 minutes. When the bottom of the pot is dry, turn off the heat: they are ready for the potato ricer. Transfer potatoes to a large bowl. Work all the potatoes through the ricer and back into the pot. Fold in half of the warm half-and-half and gently stir to combine; avoid overmixing the potatoes, which could lead to a gluey texture. Add another ½ cup of half-and-half, and stir again. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons reserved bacon fat, and stir to combine. Add more half-and-half as needed to reach desired consistency. Then season to taste with salt and pepper (keeping in mind that the bacon bits will also add salt).
• Squeeze roasted garlic out of its skin into a small bowl, and use a fork to mash it into a paste. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to thin out the paste and continue mashing. Fold the garlic paste into the potatoes and stir to distribute evenly; then add half the bacon bits and gently stir to incorporate. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a warmed serving bowl, garnish with remaining bacon bits, and serve immediately.

MASHED SWEET POTATOES WITH BACON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pierce the potatoes all over with a fork and place on a baking sheet. Bake until completely soft, about 45 minutes. Let cool slightly. Split the potatoes in half, scoop out the flesh into a medium bowl and set aside. Discard the skins.
• Cook the bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until crisp, 8 to 9 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel¿lined plate. Add the bourbon or cider to the drippings in the saucepan and cook until mostly evaporated, about 30 seconds. Add the potatoes, heavy cream, butter, maple syrup and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; mash with a potato masher until smooth and warmed through.
• Transfer the potatoes to a bowl; top with the bacon and drizzle with more maple syrup before serving.

CREAMY SMASHED POTATOES WITH BACON

Steps:

• Cook potatoes in boiling water in large saucepan 15 to 20 min. or until tender; drain.
• Return potatoes to pan; mash lightly with cream cheese and milk. Stir in bacon and chives. Spoon into serving bowl.
• Top with cheese.

BACON, SPINACH AND CREAM POTATOES

Steps:

• Place potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Bring up to a boil, salt water and cook until tender, 12 to 15 minutes.
• To a small skillet over medium heat add a little extra-virgin olive oil and bacon and brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Add onions and cook until soft, 5 minutes more.
• Drain the potatoes and place back in the hot pot. Add bacon, onions and defrosted spinach to potatoes, mash to combine then add cream. Mash until smooth and season the mixture with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

CHEESY MASHED POTATOES WITH SOUR CREAM & BACON

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients until well blended.

CREAMY BACON AND ONION MASHED POTATOES

Steps:

• Place potatoes into a large pot and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 8-10 minutes, depending on the size of the potato cubes.
• Meanwhile, fry bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until evenly browned and crisp. Remove bacon from the skillet to drain on paper towels.
• Add the onions to the bacon grease in the skillet and fry until tender, stirring often. Drain excess grease.
• When the potatoes are done, drain the water out of pot and mash. Mix in the buttermilk (or the buttermilk/whole milk combination) until you get your desired consistency.
• Crumble in the bacon and stir in the onions. You can also stir in between 1-2 tablespoons of the bacon grease if you like. Mix together and serve.