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Potatoes, Mashed

Boil or steam the potatoes until they are sufficiently cooked, and are mealy and dry. Carefully remove any discoloured places there may be upon them, put the tubers into a bowl, and beat them with a wooden spoon for two or three minutes, and whilst beating, add a little salt, a slice of butter oiled, and one or two table-spoonfuls of boiling milk or cream. When the beaten potatoes are quite smooth and free from lumps, put them into a saucepan, and beat them over the fire for a minute or two, till they are light and quite hot. Dish them lightly, and draw the fork backwards over them to roughen the surface. Or butter a mould, press the potatoes into it, brown them in the oven, and turn them out before serving. Or put them into a dish, and reserve a small portion of the mash. Press this through a colander upon the top of the potatoes, and brown the surface before the fire, or with a red-hot iron. Or press them into small buttered pans, brown them, and turn them out before serving; serve very hot. Time, half an hour or more to boil the potatoes. Probable cost, 1d. to 1 1/2d. per pound. Sufficient two pounds of potatoes for four or five persons.