Spectacular Spuds

I am of the opinion that no meal is complete without carbs. I come from a long line of women who would routinely prepare fantastic Shabbos and yuntif meals that were accompanied by a potato of some sort and a rice of some sort and some other version of a non-Atkins approved food item. Because that's just comfort. So when a friend asked me to prepare a potato dish for a recent yuntif meal, I was more than happy to oblige.

Mashed potatoes are kinda just the perfect blank canvas. They go with sweeter sauces and more savory items; they are the perfect bed for chicken, beef, fish, everything. But they can be sorta...blah. So I just started sauteeing and adding and mixing and, before I knew it, I had The Perfect mashed potato. I don't use that term lightly, so you need to trust me on this. Caramelized onions, garlic, and mushrooms added amazing sweetness and texture, and the combo of margarine, pareve sour cream, and chicken stock made for a very flavorful and moist dish - which I was a especially worried about because I made these several days before they were going to be eaten, and I knew they'd be reheated for several hours. (Nothing worse than a dry, chalky mashed potato. Priorities, people.) And then, how can you go wrong by adding crispy fried onions on top? I mean, you can't.

These flew off the table. And then I started giving out the recipe (which meant that I had to actually write down the recipe.) And then I made them again. And again. And now I gift them to you. You're welcome.

Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Mashed Potatoes
serves 12

5 lbs. potatoes
2 10-oz. containers of mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, sliced thin
1 tbsp. minced garlic
oil

1 stick of margarine

1 12-oz. container of pareve sour cream

1-2 cups chicken stock (I've used both real chicken stock and the fake stuff. Both work fine.)

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup of French's Fried Onions, for serving

1. Heat oil in a pan and sautee the mushrooms until caramelized on medium high heat, about 20 minutes. (They will release a lot of liquid at first. Continue cooking until all the liquid is gone and the mushrooms brown up.) Set aside.

2. In a separate pan with additional oil, caramelize the onions and garlic on medium heat, about 15 minutes. Set aside.

3. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and cut them into 1.5" pieces. Put them in a large pot and cover with water and bring to a boil. Boil until soft, about 10 minutes; drain and put back into the hot pot to evaporate excess water for 2 minutes.

4. Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl and begin to mash with a masher. Add margarine and sour cream while the potatoes are warm and incorporate.
5. Add the caramelized vegetables and chicken stock.
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Potatoes are bland can handle quite a bit of salt.)

7. Serve on a platter with crunchy onions on top.