5 lbs potatoes, washed
3 heads garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 c butter
2/3 c cream, milk, or chicken broth
fresh parsley or chives, chopped
Peel the outer layers of the garlic heads, then place them on a square of aluminum foil, and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap the foil tightly around the garlic, and roast in a 400 F oven while the potatoes are cooking. Cut the potatoes into 2 inch chunks (we never peel ours, the peels are where all the nutrition is), put in a large pot with enough water to cover, and salt. Bring the water to a boil and cook until the potatoes are very fork tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain the potatoes well (reserve the potato water for bread baking) and return them to the pot. Let the potatoes sit in the pot on the heat for a few minutes until they are done steaming – evaporating all the water helps to prevent gluey mashed potatoes.
While the water is evaporating from the potatoes, retrieve the roasted garlic, carefully unwrap and separate the cloves from the paper skins, adding them to the pot of potatoes. Salt and pepper the potatoes, add the butter, and mash thoroughly until the butter is all incorporated.
Sometimes I will add sour cream, cream cheese, or parmesan cheese at this point. Incorporate fully! Then taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Now add the cream or milk, a little at a time, blending to achieve the desired state of creamy fluffiness (to keep potatoes fluffy instead of gluey, incorporate all the fat thoroughly first before adding any liquid). Taste and reseason if necessary. Finish with parsley or chopped fresh chives. Yum!
To make these potatoes extra scrumptious, I will caramelize a chopped onion in butter, salt and pepper, until golden brown, caramelly, and tender, and add the caramelized onions to the potatoes along with everything else.
