(no subject)

[quackaquacka]

I have a decently-sized helping of mashed potato left over and inspiration is not striking.

No allergies or anything to consider, so - help, please?


ETA: I just did cheddar mash in the end, but thanks for all the suggestions - I'll definitely be trying some of them out!

Comments

[tree_and_leaf]

Flake a tin of mackrel and some chives into them and make fish-cakes?

[octette]

i love to use leftover mashed potatoes as the topping for shepherd's pie. i make mine vegetarian with lentils, caramelized onions, mushrooms, spinach, garlic, and frozen peas (if you put them in when they're still frozen, they don't get mushy in the oven). non-vegetarian versions usually use ground beef and corn, i believe, but i haven't had it in, like, twenty years. maybe someone else has a good recipe for that!

[viklikesfic]

Do you have a recipe for this? Your veg sheppard's pie sounds far superior to mine, and yet still using ingredients I can get for cheapsies.

[octette]

i usually make this in a ratio format, depending on how many people are eating and how big my pan is, so here i have guesstimated the amounts. if you like something, add more of it, and vice versa.

1 c lentils, dry
10 oz frozen spinach, thawed (fresh spinach would work just as well, but getting decent fresh is hit or miss near me, and frozen tastes good enough for this purpose as far as i'm concerned) and drained
2 cloves garlic, diced or grated (i prefer to grate, which adds a lot of flavor without the risk of anyone biting into a piece of garlic)
2 med onions, diced or sliced into half moons
8 oz baby bella mushrooms or your favorite kind (white button mushrooms work fine, too, but baby bellas have a more "meaty" flavor that i like with lentils), sliced
1/2 - 1 c frozen peas
~4 tbsp olive oil
~2 tbsp butter or margarine, melted
8x8 baking dish (i use a pyrex; if it's not at least 2-3 inches deep, go for a bigger baking dish so that your veg don't spill over the sides)

cook the lentils according to the package instructions. i tend to just put the lentils in a pot and cover them with about an inch of water and simmer, adding more water as needed until the lentils are soft.

meanwhile, caramelize the onions. i use about 2 tbsps olive oil and a pinch of salt, and then just leave them over medium heat, stirring occasionally. if you burn them, though, dump them and start over, because the bitterness of the carbon is going to affect the whole dish.

set the onions aside in the baking dish. add another 2 tbsps olive oil to the pan, heat up a little, and add the sliced mushrooms, allowing them to brown. you'll get a more delicious flavor and crust on the mushrooms if you do them in melted butter, in batches, but it's not necessary.

once the mushrooms are finished, put them into the dish with the onion, and add the garlic to the leftover oil and let it cook for about a minute. i don't recommend going all the way to golden, but do it if you like. then add the spinach and stir, letting the flavors meld.

i usually put the lentils into the dish and mix with the onion and mushrooms, then spread the spinach and garlic mixture on top of that. last is the measurement of peas, which i leave frozen and shake out on top of the spinach. spread the leftover mashed potatoes on top. coat with melted butter or margarine if you are so inclined.

bake at 400 for about a half hour. the top doesn't usually get brown, although you could put it under the broiler for a few minutes, or put your favorite cheese on the top instead of butter.

note: this will probably need salt and pepper. i know some people like to layer salt and pepper flavor as they go, but i cook for people who have high blood pressure, so i never do. my mom, who eats as little added salt as possible, really likes this as is, but i tend to find that it needs a few pinches of kosher salt about a minute before i eat it.

...if you make this, let me know how it comes out. :)

[kigan]

This sounds awesome, and thank you so much for all the detail and little tips all over in there. I might give this a shot next week. :)

[feuervogel]

Potato soup? (Add milk until it's a consistency you like, heat. Possibly also add onion, bacon, etc as desired.)

[katemonkey]

Potato scones!

[libitina]

Make patties, bread, and fry it.

Or just microwave with some salsa and cheese for a different flavor to the mashed potatoes. Or just keep through your condiment stash until a flavor catches your interest. Finely slice some scallions on top to perk up the texture.

Do you have greens? Wash them, shake dry, slice into manageable pieces, saute in just the rinse water still clinging to the leaves, and then add mashed potatoes at the end = colcannon

[lassarina]

I don't bread mine, but I do love me some fried mashed potato patties. Mmmmm.

[rydra_wong]

Potato pancakes, delicious with bacon or smoked fish and horseradish. Various versions:

http://iheartkale.blogspot.com/2009/10/mashed-potato-pancakes.html
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/recipes/article490546.ece
http://www.slashfood.com/2007/11/20/transform-your-mashed-potatoes-into-pancakes/

[azurelunatic]

My number-one suggestion would have been soup (and milk and cheese are good in mashed potato soup, serve with sourdough bread), but if none of the other suggestions strike your fancy, spread on bread, add juicy and delicious meat and other desired sandwich fixings, have carbohydrate city sandwich (warning, may not be suitable for those restricting carbohydrate intake).

[redsnake05]

These suggestions all sound delicious. If I was feeling flash, I'd make duchesse potatoes by adding a beaten egg and some melted butter and (if feeling really flash) piping them onto some baking paper and baking them in a hot oven (abotu 375F) for about 30 minutes so they are cripsy yummy on the outside. If not feeling flash, just drop spoonfuls onto the paper.