food comas

When I first made my own mashed potatoes, I went with a Potato and Oil Purée in my attempt to avoid using fatty ingredients like heavy cream and butter that most recipes required, and instead substituting stock and olive oil.  However, I eventually caved because, well, there is clearly a reason why the majority of mashed potato recipes call for dairy products… and that reason is because the results are friggin’ amazing.  However, I do think you can cut down the amount of butter this recipe calls for, especially since the serving suggestion even adds a piece of butter for garnish.

This recipe is from Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc at Home cookbook, which assumes everyone has a food mill or ricer at home.  If you don’t happen to have the kind of home kitchen equipped with blowtorches and the like, you may need to improvise with a potato masher or fork or wooden spoon or electric mixer… ad hoc’ing the Ad Hoc if you will.

Try serving with your favorite poultry dish, such as Sautéed Chicken Breasts with Tarragon or Whole Roasted Chicken.

Purée of Garlic Potatoes (from Ad Hoc at Home)

Yields: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

• 4 lbs large Yukon Gold potatoes, about 2″ in diameter
• Kosher salt
• 2 C heavy cream
• 8 T (1 stick, 4 oz) cold unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces + a piece of butter for garnish
• 1/4 C Garlic Confit
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 T minced chives

Directions:

Put the potatoes in a large pot and cover by at least 2 inches of cold water.  Season the water with about 1/4 C salt and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.

Adjust the heat as necessary to maintain a very gentle simmer, and cook for about 20 minutes, until tender enough to pureé.  Drain the potatoes in a colander and let them steam to evaporate excess water for 1 to 2 minutes.  Then quickly peel them.

Meanwhile, heat the cream in a heavy saucepan; keep warm.

Set a food mill fitted with the medium blade over a pot.  Add about one-quarter of the potatoes, top with 2 pieces of the butter and one-quarter of the garlic confit, and purée.  Repeat with the remaining potatoes, butter and garlic in 3 batches.  Now, if you don’t have the kind of home kitchen equipped like Thomas Keller’s, you may need to improvise.  I have found a combination of a wooden spoon, fork, and electric mixer can do the trick…

The potatoes can be puréed up to 3 hours ahead and held at room temperature.

To serve, warm the potatoes in a saucepan over medium heat.  As they heat, whip the cream into the potatoes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle with the chives, and top with a spoonful of butter.