Country Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic

Hashed, smashed, fried, boiled or baked, potatoes never go out of style. Why not combine the crisp salted skin of roasted with the smooth, satisfying comfort of mashed for a good country mash?!  Country Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic, it’s as easy as one, two, three.

Step one: coat well-scrubbed, skin-on potatoes with garlic oil and season liberally with coarse salt.  Step two: roast until soft on the inside and crisp on the outside. Step 3: Mash to coarse consistency with roasted garlic, season and serve.  There you have it, Country Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic.

Speedy Kitchen Tip:  In this recipe, we’ve used Confited Garlic, which is the perfect substitute for roasted garlic and, it’s always in our fridge!  If you prefer, you can simply cut the top off a bulb (or three) of garlic, drizzle with oil, wrap it up in tinfoil and roast at 400°F (205°C) for 40 to 50 minutes.  Confited garlic is faster and it gives you the added benefit of garlic oil, which I LOVE to work with.

Low fat, vegan and gluten-free, oh my, they’re good for you!  

Country Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic Recipe

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Serves: four to six

2 pounds medium sized potatoes – red, white or mixed
10 – 30 cloves of garlic
1 cup light cooking oil – canola, safflower, sunflower
coarse salt & freshly ground pepper

Method:
1. Pre-heat oven to 375°F (190°C). Roast/confit garlic cloves, add cup of cooking oil to small heavy bottomed pot, add 10 – 30 cloves of freshly peeled garlic. Bring to a boil over high heat then immediately reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 30 minutes.  Remove and cool to room temperature until garlic is soft and translucent. Meanwhile, scrub potatoes well to remove any traces of dirt and loose skin and dry well. Toss whole potatoes with two tablespoons garlic oil to coat, season liberally with coarse salt.

2. Place potatoes, one layer deep in shallow roasting dish or cast iron pan.  Roast until soft on the inside and crisp on the outside, about 45 minutes depending on size; turning the potatoes at about the 20 minute mark to create a well crisped skin.

3. Remove potatoes from oven and mash coarse with whatever tool you have handy – masher, fork, whisk – adding 6 or 7 cloves of roasted garlic and about another tablespoon of garlic oil. Season and serve.

Store remaining garlic (and garlic oil) in fridge until needed for your next recipe. Preserved in oil, confited garlic keeps for about a month.  Handy to have for vinaigrettes, sauces, steaks, soups… and country mashed potatoes!