Basil Chive Red Potato Mash

Five Little Chefs – Basil Chive Red Potato Mash

We were SO excited to find out we were featured today at The Lady Behind The Curtain for our Peanut Butter Cup Popcorn experience!

The Little Chefs were watching a cooking show and saw red potatoes. They were very curious about them.They have eaten them before, but then I realized I was doing the cooking and they did not realize what they were eating. We went shopping and brought home some red potatoes. We found Basil Chive Red Potato Mash we thought we could try.
Little Chef C decided we should peel the potatoes. She didn’t like the imperfections on the skin and did not want to “eat those parts.” This time I tried being smart and had her peel the potatoes into the sink. She is ALWAYS loosing a potato or a peeler in the garbage. She was doing well and I was just about to make a comment about not loosing a single potato when she dropped one in the sink and down the disposal! That potato went straight in the garbage!

I taught Little Chef C how to rest the pan on the counter and pull the faucet out to the pan to fill with water. Much easier then holding the increasingly heavy pan under the water.

The potatoes boiled for a while. When it was time to strain the water Little Chef C said, “No way am I going to do that!” Sometimes she is brave enough, sometimes she isn’t. She did measure out the heavy cream, butter, chives and basil. She decided if the butter is cut into pieces it will melt faster which means we can eat faster!

Little Chef C thought this recipe was ok. It is not a difficult recipe, however there was not a lot to do so it did not keep her attention very well.
Little Chef A said it “tastes like the sauce we use on fish.” I had to think about this for a moment. What connection is she making? Then it hit me, there is basil in each recipe that must be what she was linking.

Basil Chive Red Potato Mash

Ingredients

2 pounds red-skinned new potatoes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
A small handful chopped fresh chives (about 3 tablespoons)
A small handful roughly chopped basil leaves (about 2 1/2 tablespoons)

Directions

Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan and pour in enough cold water to cover them by a couple of inches. Toss in a handful of salt. Bring the water to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender when poked with a knife, about 25 minutes.

Drain the potatoes and return to the pan. Add the cream and butter and let the whole pot sit over very low heat until warmed through.

Add chives and basil to the pot with the potatoes and mash the potatoes coarsely. Season with salt and pepper.