By Fall is arriving in Alabama the way it does, tentatively and then all at once. The first week of September the air is still thick. By the third week the mornings have changed, something cooler in them, and the light comes in different at the east kitchen window. I have started cooking with the windows open again, which is one of the best things about the change of season.
At the daycare I have officially moved to the toddler room as assistant teacher. The lead teacher is a woman named Ms. Patricia who has been doing this for twelve years and who teaches by example more than instruction. She trusts me with the difficult situations. When Elijah has a hard moment she steps back and lets me go to him, which means she has been watching and has made a judgment. I hold that carefully.
This week in the kitchen I made my first proper beef stew, not the quick version, a real one. Cubed chuck roast browned in the cast iron first, then broth, carrots, potatoes, celery, onion, a little tomato paste, herbs. Four hours low in the oven. The apartment was warm from it and smelled dense and savory and everything a fall evening should smell like.
I called Gloria while it was in the oven and told her about the class and she listened and asked good questions. She asked what Dr. Watkins was like and I described her and Gloria said she sounds like she knows her work. That is high praise from Gloria. She trusts people who know their work and are not boastful about it. The stew was very good. I ate it with the library book open on the counter and felt, not for the first time, like I was building something. I just could not yet see the full shape of what.
The stew was the main event that evening, but somewhere in the last hour I found myself wishing I had something even creamier to serve it over or alongside — something that would slow the whole bowl down and make it last. That’s when I thought of Lucille’s Mashed Potatoes, a recipe I’ve had bookmarked since last winter. On a night when I already felt like I was building something steady — the work at the daycare, the class, the quiet ritual of a long-cooked meal — these potatoes felt like the right finishing touch: simple, unhurried, and exactly what a cool Alabama evening asked for.
Lucille’s Mashed Potatoes
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 40 min | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 3 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for boiling water
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 3/4 cup whole milk or heavy cream, warmed
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Fresh chives or parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes. Place the peeled and chunked potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by at least 1 inch. Add a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook until potatoes are completely tender and a fork slides through without resistance, about 18—22 minutes.
- Drain and dry. Drain the potatoes thoroughly in a colander. Return them to the warm pot over low heat for 1—2 minutes, shaking gently, to allow any excess moisture to steam off. This step makes for fluffier mashed potatoes.
- Mash and enrich. Add the butter to the hot potatoes and mash with a potato masher or pass through a ricer for a smoother texture. Stir in the warmed milk or cream a little at a time until you reach your preferred consistency. Fold in the sour cream.
- Season and serve. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with a small pat of butter and fresh chives or parsley if desired. Serve immediately alongside beef stew or your favorite braised meat.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 290 | Protein: 5g | Fat: 13g | Carbs: 39g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 320mg