Mash Potatoes

The humble mash potatoes can sound quite boring, but with a few variations it can be a stunning side dish (even DT should be able to cook this one!).

Here's what you need:
- 1 kg of Desiree potatoes
- 1 cup of thickened cream
- 125g butter
- salt and pepper to taste

Here's what you do:
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil (large enough to fit all the potatoes in and enough water to just cover them). Peel and dice the potatoes to about 2.5cm chunks/cubes.

When the water is boiling put the potatoes in. A trick to avoid splashing is to make sure that the point of entry is low. Bring the pot down to a gentle simmer and leave for approx 20 minutes or until the potatoes soft (check with a sharp knife).

Drain the potatoes and begin the mashing process. Once half mashed add the cream and butter. Continue mashing until a smooth consistency is reached. If the mash is too dry add some more cream or milk (if you're wanting it to be a bit lighter in calories!).

Suggested variations:
Now here's the fun bit! Mash potatoes now come into a world of their own once they have been varied slightly. Here are my two favourite variations.

Herbed (pictured above) - add some rosemary and dried parsley to the mix. This will give the mash a nice little boost and this is great with steaks and other red meats.

Multi-coloured mash (pictured below) - get some cherry tomatoes (the 'grape' varieties are also great for this variation) and baby spinach leaves. Prick the cherry tomatoes and drop them in boiling water for 20 seconds. Peel the tomatoes and slice them in half. Rip up the baby spinach and together with the peeled tomatoes add them to the mash to make a stunning side dish for any meal.

Have a go and let me know how it turns out!

The tomato mash served with Kangaroo steaks and salad.

Vietnamese Glass Noodle Salad

Here's one to tickle your tastebuds! This one I have attempted on many occasions, and am finally getting the knack of it. I first found this in a Donna Hay recipe book (Off The Shelf) and have since added my own few touches.

This is a dead simple recipe and I have used it frequently as a side dish to mains during dinner but also have enjoyed this on it's own for lunch.

I have found that the McWilliams Inheritance Chardonnay matches well with the light flavours in this dish.

Here's what you need (to serve 6-8):
- 250g Glass Vermicelli Rice Noodles
- 1 bunch of mint
- 1 bunch of Vietnamese Basil
- 1 mild Red Chilli
- 1 roasted chicken (ie the kind you get from the supermarket) - you can alternatively use some pan fried chicken breast
For the dressing:
- lemon juice
- fish sauce
- sugar
- water



Here's what you do:
Take the bunches of mint and Vietnamese basil and pick of the leaves. Discard the stems. If the leaves are big (say around the size of your thumb) then chop them coarsely into smaller pieces. Take your roast chicken and shred the meat. De-seed the chilli and chop into thin slices.

Take your Vermicelli and soak in boiling water for 5-7 minutes until al-dente. Rinse and drain with cold water. Use a pair of scissors to cut the noodles and continue until you are able to pull off a handful of noodles at a time.

Mix the mint, basil, chicken and noodles together. Add the chilli on top as a garnish.

For the dressing, mix up one part lemon juice, one part fish sauce, two parts water and sugar to taste. The dressing, whilst being relatively strong to taste, should have a smooth finish and should not be overpowered by either the lemon or the fish sauce. Add sugar or extra water if unbalanced. Add the dressing to your desired amount (usually almost 3/4 of a cup) just before serving.

Enjoy :)