SAWCLicious: Secrets to a good mashed potato

Do you love mashed potatoes but find it bland or too plain so it gets tiring when you eat more? I always had that problem whenever I eat out because I find the potatoes either not having the right texture, not creamy enough, not tasty enough, or just too dry. Because of this, I would normally just make my own mashed potatoes at home. The recipe for this mashed potato I'm sharing is really good in a way that you can eat the mashed potatoes alone. 

Mashed Potato

Ingredients

• 5-6 big potatoes
• 2-3 tbsp. Mascarpone Cheese
• 6-7 pcs. of breakfast bacon
• 50g Butter
• 3 cloves of garlic minced
• Sat and Pepper
• 1-2 tbsp. Sour Cream
• 1/3 cup of Cream
• 4 tbsp. Parmesan Cheese
• 1/4 cup of sliced Green Onion
• 3L of water/chicken stock
• Optional: 3 pcs. Knorr Chicken Cubes
• Salt, Pepper, Sugar

Procedure

1. Soak potatoes in cold water for 3-4 hours. Then, peel potatoes and slice into quarters. 
2. Slice bacon into small pieces and cook in a separate pan until crunchy to make bacon bits.
3. In a pot, pour water or chicken stock and bring to a boil. If you are using water, add 3 pcs. of Knorr chicken cubes. 
4. Once it starts boiling, add the potatoes into the pot. Cook until the potatoes are soft enough that it breaks when you stick a fork in.
5. Strain the potatoes and place in a bowl. Mix in garlic, bacon bits, mascarpone cheese, and sour cream. Mash the potatoes and add in the cream and green onion.
6. Season with salt, pepper, and 1/4-1/2 tbsp. of sugar.

For me, I know I can stop mashing and have my perfect mashed potato when:

1. You can see some potato bits inside and the overall mashed potato is also creamy at the same time. 
2. Mashed potato is not too wet nor too dry 
3. Tasty enough but not too salty
4. It has a good aroma and not having a plain potato smell. 

I served this mashed potato together with some pan-friend beef burger topped with caramelized onions and mushroom sauteed in butter. You can also try replacing bacon bits with some cooked chopped crab meat and shrimps and serve the potatoes with some grilled salmon and hollandaise sauce.

Here's a picture of my friends enjoying the hearty meal.