Creamy Double-Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Creamy Double-Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Total Time
1¼ hours
Rating
4(1,931)
Comments
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Roasted garlic is the secret to these deeply flavored mashed potatoes with a lively crunch from garlic chips. This dish takes a little more planning and prep than your average mashed potatoes, but it is well worth the effort. You can roast and fry the garlic and peel the potatoes ahead of time, storing the prepared potatoes submerged in water in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours before cooking. Feel free to use either red or russet potatoes here: Red potatoes will make a thick and creamy mash, while russets will yield a lighter and fluffier result (see Tip). If you run short on time, trim the garlic chips from your to-do list. Canned fried onions from your local supermarket, or fried shallots or fried garlic flakes from most Asian markets provide the same jolt of texture on top.

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Ingredients

Yield:8 to 12 servings (8 cups)

    For the Roasted Garlic

    • 3heads garlic
    • 6teaspoons olive oil

    For the Garlic Chips

    • 1cup neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable oil
    • 6garlic cloves, thinly sliced crosswise
    • Kosher salt

    For the Potatoes

    • 4pounds red or russet potatoes (see Tip)
    • 2cups heavy cream
    • 2fresh bay leaves, or 4 dried bay leaves
    • 1tablespoon minced fresh rosemary, plus more for garnish
    • 1tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish
    • Kosher salt and black pepper
    • ¾cup unsalted butter (1½ sticks), cut into small cubes, plus more for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)

677 calories; 56 grams fat; 21 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 26 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 41 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 7 grams protein; 673 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high. Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

  2. Step 2

    Prepare the roasted garlic: Set each head of garlic on its side and cut off (and discard) the top ¼ 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.

  3. Step 3

    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.

  4. Step 4

    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.

  5. Step 5

    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 1⅓ cups.)

  6. Step 6

    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.)

  7. Step 7

    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.

Tip
  • If you use russet potatoes, rinse and drain the peeled and cubed potatoes three times before boiling, then give them a quick rinse in warm water after boiling to remove as much starch as possible. Pass them through a rice mill before mashing for the fluffiest results.

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Comments

Would Yukon gold work? I usually don't peel mashed potatoes. Skin adds additional bit of flavor and texture.

Two cups of heavy cream plus a stick and a half of butter? And presumably you’re going to be having turkey, dressing, gravy, rolls or biscuits, sides and dessert? I’m going to take the roasted garlic idea and skip the rest. And garlic roasts quickly if separated into cloves, tossed in olive oil and baked at 350° for 10-15 minutes.

Delicious. For the herbed cream, I used a bay leaf, a couple sage leaves, some thyme branches and a few smashed garlic cloves, just to up the garlic ante. I left everything whole since it was going to be strained anyway. Instead of garlic chips, I threw on some crispy (store-bought) shallots which eliminated a step.

Used Yukon and left skin on. Sour cream instead of heavy cream and only a cup. Stellar

Cut red skin or Yukon gold potatoes, leaving skins on. Add lots of minced garlic, plenty of fresh grated nutmeg, white pepper and salt. Add heavy cream to just cover. Simmer until potatoes are tender. Mash in pot. Correct seasonings. Add more cream if necessary.

Ok, so first a disclaimer - I haven't ever really made mashed potatoes though I cook A LOT. So I followed this recipe diligently. Am I missing something or is 2 cups just too much cream? I mean, I have had mashed potatoes before. But after just 1 cup of the herbed cream, the mash already looks very creamy and not dense at all - too 'loose' to resemble what I have tasted in the past. Puzzled. I used Russset potatoes.

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