Is there a greater comfort food than mashed potatoes? Hearty, creamy, warm and filling, mashed potatoes are perhaps the perfect food¹. Nevertheless, mashed potatoes can be boring and underappreciated if prepared the same way every time we make them.

This variation was inspired by a mushroom glaze that went horribly wrong. In an attempt to create a mushroom-red wine glaze, too much wine was added to ever hope of reducing all of it in time for dinner. However, the smell and taste of simmering wine, mushrooms and garlic was too delicious to throw away. Coincidentally, there was not enough milk that night to make the mashed potatoes sufficiently moist. A small, culinary, light bulb in the mind flashed for a moment and Purple Mashed Potatoes were born.

For this recipe you will need

• Water - about 1.5 L (around 6 cups) for boiling

• Potatoes - 4-5 large Idaho spuds should do, although I often use 10 small red potatoes which seem to fend the wine off a little yielding a creamier mash, also they're cheaper

• Mushrooms - 400 g of white mushrooms (sold as 16 oz. in U.S.), although I have tried Portabello. The portabello absorb the wine wonderfully, but don't blend as well with the potatoes as the white do, also they're more expensive.

• Red Wine - A cheap Merlot or Claret will suffice, about 0.75 L, perhaps a full 1 L if you have the time (3-4 cups)

• Yellow onion - One medium or large onion, diced

• Butter - Salted, about 375 ml (a full stick as packaged in the U.S.)

• Milk - About 125 ml (half a cup), or better yet, heavy whipping cream. If heavy cream is used, avoid the sour cream.

• Sour Cream - about a 125 ml (half a cup)

• Salt, Pepper (white if you've got it), and garlic powder²

Directions

1. Peel and throughly wash your potatoes

2. Clean the mushrooms and dice them into 1/2 inch pieces

3. In a pan melt three tablespoons of butter on medium heat, when butter melts, add onions, three teaspons garlic powder (or garlic) and mushrooms

4. When the mushrooms start to brown with absorbing the butter, sniff the air and say, "mmm, mushrooms with buter smells good. mmm"

5. After complimenting your mushrooms on proper browning, add half of wine, and raise to a boil. When this reduces by half, add the remaining wine.

6. Bring water to a boil in a large pot for the potatoes

7. Cut the potatoes into cubes or large chunks

8. When the water reaches a rolling boil, add potatoes. Let the potatoes cook until just a little bit mushy

NOTE

You'll have to time your mushrooms carefully with the potatoes so that they are done at the same time. The time to properly boil varies depending on the amount and size of the potatoes. In a pinch you may lower the temperature of boiling water of the potatoes to medium, to allow your wine to catch up, or vice versa. Remember that it's ok to overboil the potatoes a little, we're mashing them anyway. It's also alright to undercook the mushrooms some as long as there is not too much wine in the mixture.

When both the potatoes and mushroom-wine mixture are done (about half an hour)

9. Remove and strain your potatoes

10. Add salt and pepper (to taste), milk (or heavy whipping cream, mmm), the remaining butter and the sour cream

11. Commence mashing

12. Alternatively, if you have a mixer, like a Kitchen Aide, you can whip the mashed potatoes. This method is recommended because it makes very light potatoes and is easier than mashing by hand

13. Add the mushrooms and wine mixture in parts while mashing the potatoes

Be careful to not make the potatoes too runny. The potatoes should mound and not fall.

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