I ordered a dish with braised pork shoulder a few weeks ago that came with a side of the most wonderful mashed potatoes that were studded with a considerable quantity of whole grain mustard seeds. They were revelatory.
It was so good, I thought it deserved it own recipe as a unique side dish to serve up the next time you are making braised pork, beef, or chicken.
The version I’ve worked with below includes two Tablespoons of prepared whole grain mustard, which can be adjusted based on how much mustard flavor and crunch you want in your final product. I’ve also added chives here, which you can omit if you like.
Creamy Mashed Potatoes with Whole-Grain Mustard
I ordered a dish with braised pork shoulder a few weeks ago that came with a side of the most wonderful mashed potatoes that were studded with a considerable quantity of whole grain mustard seeds. They were revelatory.It was so good, I thought it deserved it own recipe as a unique side dish to serve up the next time you are making braised pork, beef, or chicken. The version I’ve worked with below includes two Tablespoons of prepared whole grain mustard, which can be adjusted based on how much mustard flavor and crunch you want in your final product. I’ve also added chives here, which you can omit if you like.
Ingredients
- 4 russet potatoes (peeled, rinsed, and cut into 1-inch cubes)
- 3 Tbsp Kosher salt (for salting the water)
- 12 Tbsp 1.5 sticks salted butter, softened at room temperature
- 3 Tbsp crème fraiche
- 2 Tbsp whole-grain mustard
- 2 Tbsp fresh chives (finely sliced)
- Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Peel and rinse the Russet potatoes.
- Cut the potatoes into large 1-inch chunks.
- Put the cut potatoes in a pot with cold water and add the Kosher salt.
- Bring the potatoes to a simmer, and reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Boil the potatoes on medium-low heat for roughly 20-25 minutes, or until they are completely tender.
- Drain the potatoes and pass them through a food mill, or mash them well with a potato masher.
- While the potatoes are still hot, add the 12 Tbsp of softened butter, the crème fraiche, and the whole-grain mustard.
- Use a rubber spatula to gently incorporate the whole-grain mustard, crème fraiche, and butter until you have a smooth and buttery mashed potato puree.
- Gently fold in the fresh chives.
- Taste, and season with more Kosher salt & freshly-ground black pepper, if desired.
- Serve hot, alongside roasted or braised meats or with a hearty stew such as Boeuf Bourguignon.
Notes
You can easily reheat these mashed potatoes the following day with a bit of extra butter—they will taste amazing.
Russet potatoes are considered a great option for making mashed potatoes because they are considered a “high starch” potato. If you want a potato variety that is more suitable for whole-roasting in the oven, choose a lower-starch potato with a waxy peel, such as Yukon Gold or Fingerling potatoes.
Years ago, I heard that Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry restaurant was using Fingerling potatoes to make their mashed potatoes, where the potatoes were cooked sous-vide with their skins on in butter and cream, and then peeled by hand and mixed with that same butter and cream that they were cooked in. This was done in order to make a better mashed potato product, which is pretty unique in terms of the approach.