Note: Great mashed potatoes hate recipes. Although the amounts here will make a fine mash, you're better off with these simple formulas. Try to hit a 2 to 1 ratio of russets to reds (by weight) and have at least 1/4 cup of dairy per pound of potatoes. You may not use it all, but it's good to know it's there. As for the garlic, use your best judgment.
Ingredients
- 4 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- 8 red potatoes, cut into chunks roughly the same size as the russet chunks
- 1 to 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3/4 cup low fat buttermilk (not skim)
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 6 to 8 cloves of garlic, peeled
Directions
Combine potatoes in a large pot and just cover with cold tap water. Place over high heat and season water with 1 to 2 teaspoons of salt, (it should taste like sea water). Cover the pot and bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, combine dairy and garlic in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Keep this mixture barely simmering until the potatoes are done.
As soon as the water comes to a boil, remove the lid and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until a potato chunk can easily be crushed with a pair of tongs. Drain, then return potatoes to the pan, return pot to heat and shake for 30 seconds so the surface water can evaporate. Remove pot and set on a towel or hot pads. Pour about half the garlic mixture into the potatoes and mash with an old-fashioned potato masher. Start tasting and looking at the consistency right away. If mashers seem dry or bland, add more of the garlic mixture. Avoid over mashing or you'll end up with gluey instead of fluffy.
Serve straight or garnish with any of the following: parsley, chopped scallions, crumbled bacon, sun dried tomatoes, (If you have the dry ones, make sure you re-hydrate them.) grated horseradish, horseradish sauce, pesto, more bacon, Sauteed mushrooms...use your imagination.
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By LavalleeVerdun
Verdun, QC
on December 31, 2008
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The recipe, as transcribed here, seems to skip a few things. The answer to the confusion about the garlic seems to be in reviewing the original episode (Season 1, Episode 2.
One can see Mr. Brown pouring the buttermilk/heavy cream mixture into the potatoes slowly, leaving almost half of the mixture in the pot. He even says: "You don't want to go overboard on this stuff because before you know it, you could have potato soup which is nice but it's not really what we're after. ... I'm going to go with just a little more of the mixture. That is probably going to be enough. Every time you make this it's going to be a little different so it is always nice to have a little more of the mixture than you think you might need."
Had he poured every bit of the mixture into the potatoes, the garlic would have fallen in in chunks. He would have probably mentioned something about it. My person use: let the garlic give the sauce a light flavor, but don't mix it into the potatoes unless you're REALLY into garlic.
By bcr8ve_9918942
Stokesdale, NC
on June 27, 2008
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My DBF made this recipe for the first time last night, but didn't remove the garlic from the milk mixture prior to mixing with the potatoes. I wish the recipe had a little more instruction about what to do with the garlic. Simmering the mashed cloves in the milk doesn't cook them enough to make them palatable (and I'm a huge garlic fan!, and the recipe doesn't say to strain them out. The potatoes were good but very, very garlic-heavy, as they had random chunks of half-cooked garlic.
By aniloizzo_5649510
Minneapolis, MN
on January 07, 2008
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Good flavor affinities- garlic, buttermilk, taters, but this whole simmering buttermilk and cream ordeal just broke the buttermilk, made a huge mess and seems unnecessary. You can always just use garlic powder or garlic salt or roast the garlic, whatever- I wouldn't try this method unless you enjoy cleaning buttermilk off your vent hood.
Read all 19 reviews