In general, mashed potatoes are one of those foods that I’ll never turn down. Whether they’re prepared with little potato-y lumps intact (which I personally love) or made silky smooth, I will eat perhaps more than my fair share. But as much as I love them homemade, there’s something special about steakhouse mashed potatoes in all their rich, luxurious glory.
Restaurant-worthy mashed potatoes can sometimes feel elusive at home, which is why I wanted to ask an expert what exactly my homemade potatoes were missing. After a recent visit to Hill & Vine in Fredericksburg, Texas, where I had excellent tri-tip with mashed potatoes, I knew exactly who to talk to. Executive chef Mike Hall adds one crucial ingredient to the restaurant’s creamy mashed potatoes: roasted garlic purée.
Credit: Simply Recipes / Getty Images
Why You Should Add Roasted Garlic Purée to Mashed Potatoes
Hall swears by roasted garlic purée to upgrade your mashed potatoes. “It gives mashed potatoes a deep, sweet, nutty flavor that tastes like the potatoes simmered all afternoon. It also makes the texture silkier, because the purée and its oil fold straight into the butter and cream, so you get richness without any chunks or raw garlic bite.”
Adding roasted garlic works because roasting tames the sharp, harsh flavor of raw garlic. It “caramelizes the garlic’s natural sugars, so it turns mellow, sweet, and savory.” Puréeing the roasted garlic takes things one step further, enhancing the potatoes even more. “Puréeing it with its roasting oil spreads that flavor evenly through every bite. Chopped or minced garlic can’t do that. The olive oil adds fat and body too, and that’s a big part of what makes restaurant mashed potatoes taste so luxurious.”
How To Make Roasted Garlic Purée
Although making roasted garlic purée adds an extra step to the mashed potato-making process, it’s not labor-intensive (though it does take a little planning).
Hall advises using one head of garlic per two pounds of potatoes (about enough for four people). To roast the garlic, slice off the top of the head, drizzle with olive oil, then wrap the whole head in aluminum foil and place it on a baking sheet. Roast the garlic in a 400°F (205°C) oven for 40 to 50 minutes. The cloves should be soft and golden. Squeeze the cloves from their skins and blend with a spoonful or two of the roasting oil until smooth.
When you’re assembling your mashed potatoes, Hall says it’s vital to add the purée at the right time. “Warm the purée into your butter and cream or milk first, then fold that warm mixture into your drained potatoes. Everything should go in hot. Cold dairy or cold purée makes potatoes gluey and dulls the flavor.”
If you want to save yourself a little time by making the purée ahead, Hall says that’s fine as long as it’s stored safely and not made too far in advance. “Garlic in oil has to be refrigerated and used within four days because of the botulism risk, and it should never sit out at room temperature. If you want to keep it longer, freeze it in an ice cube tray and drop in a cube whenever you need it.” Just remember to defrost the cubes before adding them to your mash.
Read the original article on Simply Recipes