Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Some grocery stores sell roasted garlic cloves, which would make things even simpler. If you happen to find fresh-roasted garlic in your local market (but avoid those jars of roasted garlic paste, which can taste kind of nasty), go for it.
Equipment
- 1 small saucepan
- 1 larger pan
- 1 large heat-proof bowl
- 1 wooden spoon
Ingredients
- ¼ cup roasted garlic cloves
- ½ cup milk {reduced fat is fine but not skim}
- ½ cup heavy cream or crème fraîche
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Kosher salt
- 2 pounds potatoes preferably Idaho or Yukon Gold, peeled and quartered
Instructions
- Purée the garlic, milk and cream in a blender or food processor until smooth. Transfer to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in butter; cover and keep warm.
- Meanwhile, bring a large a 3-quart or larger pan of water to a boil. Add 2 teaspoons salt and the potatoes. Cook until tender, about 15 minutes; drain.
- Arrange a potato ricer over a large heat-proof bowl and press the potatoes through it. If you don’t have a potato ricer {go out and get one - it makes super-smooth mashed potatoes!} just mash the potatoes in the bowl using a potato masher or wooden spoon.
- Dribble in the hot milk mixture beat until the potatoes are creamy. Taste and add more salt if you think they need it. I find that they almost always need some – start with ½ teaspoon kosher salt or ¼ teaspoon table salt and go from there.
- Serve warm, sprinkled with some freshly chopped parsley or chives.
Video
Notes
Julia's recipe for puréed potatoes includes two whole heads of blanched, peeled garlic that are slowly roasted in butter on the stove top. I tried her method, and it since it requires a few more steps than simply roasting whole garlic heads {wrapped in foil in 400-degree oven until they are softly golden} and the results are similar, I recommend using roasted garlic instead.