By I drove to Grinnell Saturday. Roger was in the garden — the garden that is his whole world now, the 82-year-old man who tends six tomato plants and twelve sunflowers with the same care he once gave four hundred acres. He's slower but he's still Roger. He still watches the crop reports. He still calls Jack on Wednesdays.
The recipe this week: pot roast with more carrots. Standing at the stove, Marlene's wooden spoon in my hand (the cracked one, the one that will outlast us all), the recipe either from the card box or from my own expanding collection, both equally real, both equally mine. The kitchen holds all of it — the old recipes and the new ones, the teacher's food and the student's food, the grief and the joy and the cinnamon. All of it. Always.
Seed starting continues at the Holloway household — the windowsill green, the grow lights purple, the soil mix precise. The annual miracle of February and March: things grow even when everything says they shouldn't. The growing is the argument against everything.
Standing at that stove with Marlene’s cracked wooden spoon, I kept thinking about what holds a meal together — and it’s almost always something simple and starchy and warm. A silky potato puree is what I made alongside the roast that day, the kind of dish that doesn’t call attention to itself but anchors everything else on the plate. It’s the food equivalent of Roger in that garden: quiet, essential, still there.
Potato Puree
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-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 teaspoon white pepper
- Fresh chives or flat-leaf parsley, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes. Place the peeled, chunked potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold, well-salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook 18—22 minutes, until a fork slides through a chunk with no resistance.
- Drain and dry. Drain the potatoes thoroughly in a colander. Return the empty pot to the stove over low heat for 1—2 minutes, then add the drained potatoes back in, shaking the pot gently to evaporate any remaining moisture. This step ensures a silky, not watery, puree.
- Rice or mash. Pass the potatoes through a potato ricer or food mill back into the pot for the smoothest result. Alternatively, use a hand masher for a more rustic texture — avoid a blender or food processor, which will make the puree gluey.
- Add butter and cream. With the pot over low heat, fold in the butter pieces one at a time until fully melted and incorporated. Gradually pour in the warmed milk or cream, stirring gently between additions, until the puree reaches your desired consistency. Season with salt and white pepper.
- Taste and serve. Adjust seasoning as needed. Transfer to a warm serving bowl, make a small well in the center for an extra pat of butter if desired, and garnish with chives or parsley. Serve immediately alongside pot roast, braised meats, or any hearty main.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 245 | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Carbs: 32g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 310mg