Mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy

Have you noticed that it’s pretty much national comfort food week on ELR? So far we’ve had yellow cake with chocolate frosting, barbecue pulled pork and now mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy.

I figured we needed a vegetable in there somewhere, right?

If you’ve been reading ELR for a little while, you know my plight with making mashed potatoes. But I’m proud to say I kept at it and developed a mashed-potato-idiot-proof recipe that not only tastes amazing on it’s own but when paired with mushroom gravy, is knock your socks off fabulous!

Wanna know a dirty secret? I think I might like mushroom gravy more than sausage gravy. It’s true! And I feel so healthy eating it because it’s, well, a vegetable and all.

And guess what? Potatoes are vegetables, too! Double the veggies, double the love.

The mushroom gravy isn’t only great on mashed potatoes though. No, definitely don’t stop there! I also recommend smothering it on buttermilk biscuits and burgers. It’s great for our vegetarian friends and can easily be made vegan without the cream.

Not that I recommend making it without the cream though. Cream is delicious.

Mashed Potatoes with Mushroom Gravy

serves 4

Print this recipe!

Ingredients:

for potatoes:

2 large russet potatoes

4 T butter, softened

1/4 cup whole milk

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

for mushroom gravy:

1 T butter

1 lb sliced mushrooms

1 shallot, minced

1/4 cup flour

1 cup chicken stock (or vegetable stock)

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 cup cream (optional but highly recommended)

Directions:

Peel and slice the potatoes. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the potatoes until fork tender, about thirty minutes. Drain and then place the potatoes back into the pot and mash with a potato masher or large fork. Add the softened butter, milk, salt and pepper and continue mashing until smooth. Place in an ovenproof dish and keep warm in the oven until ready to eat.

Heat the tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the shallot and cook until tender, then add the mushrooms and continue cooking until soft and juicy. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, dried thyme and flour and toss to coat well.

Cook for another four minutes, stirring constantly. Then, slowly pour in the stock and whisk over medium heat until thickened (about three minutes). Add cream and additional salt to taste.  Serve warm over the potatoes.

Time:

45 minutes