Wasabi Mashed Potatoes

After all the rich food from the cruise, I decided to go healthy last night. Dinner was a seared ahi tuna steak, steamed broccoli, and wasabi mashed potatoes. A light and healthy meal with great flavor that was still very satisfying.

Now, there is really nothing difficult about wasabi mashed potatoes – just add wasabi paste to your typical mashed potato recipe. With that said, here are a few tips that I use that may make your wasabi mashed potatoes that much better.

1: Blend the wasabi past with soft butter before adding it to potatoes. By blending the two first, the combination will be smoother and easier to work in. Also, it will help to evenly distribute of the wasabi so there are no spice chunks (and resulting wasabi hot spots).

2: Know everyone’s tolerance level so you don't overpower anyone. I love spicy food, but it’s not for everyone. It is no good if you make them to your liking if no one else at the table will enjoy them. I tone mine down to get the flavor, but not the killer spice.

3: Add the wasabi slowly and taste as you go. While this seems very simple, using a spice like wasabi can easily ruin a dish if you use too much. Add some and taste it - if you then need more, add more. You can always add more. Unfortunately, you can’t take it out once it has been added.

Enjoy.