Richard Blais: Smoked Mashed Potatoes + Beet and Strawberry Salad

The Talk: Richard Blais Salad

Chef Richard Blais took over The Talk kitchen to make a delicious comfort food feast, featuring Smoked Mashed Potatoes and a Beet and Strawberry Salad. Round out your menu with Swedish Meatballs and Butterscotch Pudding.

The Talk: Smoke Gun for Flavor

Blais brought a fun gadget along to demonstrate his mashed potato recipe. The Smoke Gun is used to add some smoky flavor to dishes, such as the mashed potatoes you will find in this recipe. He joked that the presentation means restaurants can charge a premium for these entrees.

The Talk: Richard Blais Smoked Mashed Potatoes Recipe Ingredients

Use a ricer or food mill to get a fine consistency for your Smoked Mashed Potatoes. “You can throw them in the mixer,” but they might get beaten up too much, according to Blais.

• 2 tbsp melted Butter
• 2 cups diced, peeled Potatoes
• 2 oz warm Cream
• Smoke Gun
• Hickory Chips
• Salt & White Pepper

Richard Blais: The Talk Smoked Mashed Potatoes Recipe Directions

1. Steam potatoes until they are fully cooked.
2. Rice the potatoes.
3. Whisk butter and cream into the potatoes using the whisk attachment on a mixer.
4. Cover potatoes using plastic wrap, leaving one corner exposed.
5. Smoke the potatoes using the smoking gun. Alternately, smoke potatoes with liquid smoke or smoke powder to achieve a similar effect.

The Talk: Richard Blais Beet and Strawberry Salad Recipe Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked, quartered Beets
• 1/2 cup diced Avocado
• 1 cup chopped Black Kale
• 1 tbsp minced Onion
• 2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
• 1 tbsp grated Ginger Root
• 1 cup halved Strawberries
• 1/4 cup Feta Cheese
• 3 tbsp toasted Pistachios
• 1 tsp minced Garlic
• 1 tbsp Honey
• 1/2 cup Sesame Oil
• 1/2 cup Sherry Vinegar
• 2 cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper

Richard Blais: The Talk Beet and Strawberry Salad Recipe Directions

1. Use a salad bowl to combine onion, Dijon, ginger root, garlic, honey, and sherry vinegar.
2. Slowly stream the olive oil and sesame oil into the mixture to form a dressing; salt and pepper to taste.
3. Dress the kale, strawberries, and beets with this dressing.
4. Serve salad topped with avocado, pistachios, and feta.