Pat corley's german mashed potatoes

6 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
4 mediums Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1\" cubes
4 mediums Tart apples (Granny Smiths work well), peeled, cored, and quartered
Salt to taste
3 slices Bacon
1 medium Onion, sliced thin
5 tablespoons Butter
1 teaspoon Cider vinegar
pinch Sugar

Directions

As Phil the bartender on MURPHY BROWN, Pat Corley sticks to serving meat loaf and hamburgers, but in real life, his kitchen repertoir is much larger. "I learned how to cook when I was young," explains the actor, whose recipe here was passed on to him by a favorite German relative. "I realized that if I wanted to eat well, I had to learn how to cook and how to shop. And most important, I realized that to be a really successful cook you have to be brave. When a recipe calls for a quarter cup of wine, you don't measure it out. Just pour. Don't measure ANYTHING out exactly. Go by taste, sight, and feel." Oscar night always reminds Corley of an encounter he had with an Oscar winner years ago. "I was appearing on Broadway in 'Sweet Bird of Youth' and I got a call from Irene Worth in her dressing room. She said, "There's someone here who wants to meet you.' So I knock on her door and go in and Neil Simon was sitting there with some other people, but I've never been impressed by stars. She gestured over to one seat, and there was this elderly gentleman leaning on a cane who said, 'I just wanted to tell you how much I've enjoyed your work.' And I realized it was Laurence Olivier, and I literally ran from that room, embarrased to tears.

Put potatoes and apples into a 4-quart saucepan with enough cold water to cover them. Add ½ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, fry bacon until crisp. In a large skillet, saute onion in 1 teaspoon butter until browned. Drain liquid from skillet. Drain and mash potatoes and apples and add to skillet; place on low heat. Mix in vinegar and remaining butter. Add a pinch of sugar and additional salt to taste. Just before serving, top with onions and crumbled bacon. Submitted By MICHAEL ORCHEKOWSKI On 10-10-94

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