Marta Sgubin was the cook for the Kennedy clan and she served many roles including governess to Caroline and John Jr. as well as housekeeper and friend.
This recipe is called Jack's Mashed Potatoes (nickname for John F. Kennedy)
It is simply delicious and the ultimate comfort food.
This is the recipe that Jack asked Marta to put in her cookbook on his behalf. Jack always bragged to everyone that she was the best cook in the world and when people tasted these mashed potatoes, they nodded in agreement.
5 pounds potatoes, any all purpose white or yellow type (I prefer white)
16 Tbsp (2 sticks) of butter, divided
4 cups milk, hot
salt and pepper
Peel the potatoes, and place them in a large pot, with water to cover. Boil them for 40 minutes or so until they are very soft. They are ready if they fall apart when poked with a fork. Drain.
Off the heat, put 1 1/2 sticks of butter into the pot in which the potatoes were boiled. When it begins to melt from the heat of the pot, fit a food mill with a fine blade over the pot and put the potatoes through it. They really have to be milled; if they are actually mashed, they'll be lumpy.
Put the pot of potatoes back on the stove over very low heat. Stir with a whisk to incorporate the butter. Little by little, begin pouring in the hot milk; add enough so the potatoes get to the consistency of thick whipped cream.
This is a lot of work, and you have to stay over the stove whipping, but the finished result is worth it.
Just before serving, beat in the remaining half stick of butter and salt and pepper to taste.
Source: Cooking for Madam by Marta Sgubin
