Originally published on September 22, 2014
Leave it to Julia Child to take something as simple as garlic mashed potatoes (which is all the above fancy French term translates to,) and make it a thing of pure joy to eat. This recipe is taken from what I like to think of as “The Food Bible,” but most people know it as Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 1. All this time, there I was, just plopping some garlic cloves into the pot of potatoes as they boiled and mashing everything together. And once again, Julia showed me that I have been doing it wrong.
Ingredients:
2 heads of garlic, separated but not peeled
4 tablespoons butter, plus 4 tablespoons, softened
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup boiling milk
2 1/2 pounds potatoes
3 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream
4 tablespoons minced parsley
Salt
Pepper
Directions:
1.) Drop the garlic cloves into boiling water and cook for 2 minutes. Drain and peel.
2.) Place 4 tablespoons in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat and add garlic. Cook the garlic slowly in the butter for about 20 minutes, or until they are very tender but not browned.
3.) Sprinkle the flour over the butter in the saucepan and stir over very low heat until it blends and froths with the butter. Cook for 2 minutes without browning.
4.) Take the pan off the heat and beat in the milk, about 1/4 teaspoon of salt and a pinch of pepper.
5.) Peel and quarter the potatoes. Drop in boiling salted water and boil until they are tender. Drain immediately, and mash with a ricer or masher. Place the mashed potatoes back into the saucepan and continue to beat with a spatula or wooden spoon for several minutes over medium heat to allow any moisture to evaporate. As soon as the puree begins to form a film in the bottom of the pan, remove from the heat and beat in the softened butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat in a little more salt and pepper to taste.
6.) Just before serving, vigorously beat the hot garlic sauce into the hot potatoes. Beat in the cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, but do not let the potatoes become too loose. Beat in the parsley (I actually used thyme, as I was out of parsley,) then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
7.) Serve and enjoy!