Silky Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes Recipes

SILKY GARLIC MASHED POTATOES

Steps:

• Scrub potatoes. Leave skins on, if desired, or peel thinly and remove eyes. Leave whole or cut into large pieces.
• Heat 1 inch water (salted if desired) to boiling; add potatoes and garlic. Cover and heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cook whole potatoes 30 to 35 minutes, potato pieces 20 to 25 minutes or until tender; drain. Shake pan gently over low heat to dry potatoes.
• Mash potatoes in medium bowl until no lumps remain. Add milk in small amounts, beating after each addition. (Amount of milk needed to make potatoes smooth and fluffy depends on kind of potatoes used.)
• Add butter, salt and pepper. Beat vigorously until potatoes are light and fluffy. If desired, dot with butter or sprinkle with paprika, chopped fresh parsley, watercress or chives.

MASHED SWEET POTATOES WITH ROASTED GARLIC

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Turn the garlic head on its side and carefully cut off the very top end to expose the cloves. (Discard the top.) Place the head of garlic on a sheet of foil, cut side up, and drizzle with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Wrap tightly and place on a sheet pan. Wrap each sweet potato individually in foil and place on the pan alongside the garlic.
• Bake until the sweet potatoes are tender and the garlic is soft, fragrant and slightly caramelized, about 1 hour. Set aside, still wrapped, to cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, heat the cream and butter in the microwave in 30-second intervals, checking after each, until the butter is melted, about 1 minute. (Alternatively, you can heat the cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium until the butter is melted.)
• Unwrap the sweet potatoes and peel them, discarding the skin and adding the flesh to a large bowl. Squeeze the garlic head, cut side down, into the bowl to release the roasted cloves. Pour in the hot cream and butter. Using a whisk or fork, break up the potatoes and garlic and vigorously stir until smooth and fluffy, at least 30 seconds. Taste for seasoning, adjusting with salt and pepper as needed. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve warm. (To make ahead, transfer to a buttered casserole dish or cake pan, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours, until ready to eat. Bake in a 350-degree oven or microwave until heated through, about 15 minutes. On Thanksgiving, you should reheat this when the turkey is out of the oven and resting.)

CREAMY DOUBLE-GARLIC MASHED POTATOES

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high. Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Prepare the roasted garlic: Set each head of garlic on its side and cut off (and discard) the top 1/4 portion at the pointed end. Transfer each head of garlic to a separate piece of aluminum foil, cut-side up, and drizzle each head with 2 teaspoons oil. Pull up the surrounding aluminum foil and crimp tightly to seal. Transfer to the oven and roast until the garlic is softened and caramelized, 40 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the size of the heads. Set aside to cool.
• Prepare the garlic chips: Line a plate with paper towels. In a small shallow saucepan or frying pan, heat the canola oil over medium-high until shimmering. Working in batches, fry the sliced garlic, stirring often, until just starting to turn golden, 30 seconds to 1 minute. (They'll continue to darken from the residual heat, so you'll want to remove them from the hot oil before they're fully golden brown.) Transfer garlic chips to the plate using a slotted spoon. Season with salt and repeat with remaining sliced garlic. Set aside.
• Prepare the boiled potatoes: Fill a large pot with water and season generously with salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Fill a medium bowl about three-quarters full with water. Working with one potato at a time, peel each potato, then add it to the bowl of water. Next, working with one potato at a time, dice each into 1-inch pieces, returning each to the bowl of water after chopping. Drain the diced potatoes, then carefully add them to the pot of boiling water. Return the water to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-high and cook until potatoes are soft and can easily be pierced with a fork, 13 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a colander to drain.
• Meanwhile, prepare the herbed cream: Add the cream, bay leaves, rosemary and thyme to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high, about 5 minutes. (The mixture will bubble up vigorously, which helps reduce the liquid and concentrate the flavor.) Strain the mixture, discarding the solids, and rinse out the saucepan. Return the infused cream to the saucepan and season with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside. (You should have about 1 1/3 cups.)
• Return the cooked potatoes to the pot along with the herbed cream and cubed butter. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from two heads into the potato mixture, discarding the skins, and mash until creamy. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and add more roasted garlic, if desired. (Store leftover roasted garlic in the refrigerator for 1 week.)
• Transfer mashed potatoes to a serving bowl, dot with a generous pat of butter and sprinkle with rosemary, thyme and black pepper. Top with garlic chips, and serve immediately.