Mashed Potatoes - Kartöflustappa/kartöflumús

Is there a potato-growing country in the world where people don’t make mashed potatoes? I doubt it. Here is one version. I have been making mashed potatoes since I learned to cook and have never used a recipe, but this recipe gives a good idea of the approximate proportions of the ingredients.

Mashed potatoes are served with many Icelandic dishes. I like it best with sausages, stews and goulash, and occasionally with roast lamb. It's also good with fried liver sausage.

1 1/2 kg potatoes
1/2 l milk
1 tbs butter (approx.)
1/2 tsp salt
15 g sugar (approx.)

Cook the potatoes, peel and mash well. Add some milk and stir well. Continue adding milk until the desired consistency is reached (should be fairly thick, but not runny). Add the butter, sugar and salt to taste. Warm up, but do not boil.

Notes:
-Add a pinch of ground nutmeg as well as salt and sugar.
-For really light, lumpless and fluffy mashed potatoes, whip them, but not for long or they can become gummy.

A little etymology: The popular Icelandic name for mashed potatoes is kartöflumús. Mús means “mouse”, which some little kids think is very funny, but it’s actually an Icelanic spelling of the French word mousse.

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