Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes

If you are like me, you are feeding a super sized crowd this coming week! Either way, if you are planning to make mashed potatoes for dinner, did you know you can make them ahead of time?

The secret to mashed potatoes that reheat into fluffy, creamy goodness, is LOTS of butter! When you initially make the mashed potatoes use a lot of butter. When it is time to serve them. Place in a baking dish and cover with foil. Bake at 350 until piping hot. The butter will melt, giving you perfect mashed potatoes.

Additionally, you can add cream cheese and sour cream for potaotes that are out of this world good!

However, I wanted to share a recipe with you that is so delicious your family will beg for more:

The Definitive Mashed Potato with Roasted Garlic
from Michael Chiarello
 
For the Garlic Paste:
1 pound whole garlic heads
1/2 cup pure olive oil
Gray sea salt and freshly ground pepper

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon garlic paste
1 1/2 cups heavy cream, or more to taste
Sea salt, preferably gray sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 to 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Start with the roasted garlic: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Peel the outermost layers of skin off the heads of garlic. Cut off the top 1/3 of the heads to open the cloves. Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe saute pan over medium heat. Add garlic, cut sides up, and saute for about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer pan to the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Pop garlic cloves from their skins and place cloves in a blender, along with any olive oil left in the pan. Puree until smooth; you should have a paste-like consistency.

For the potatoes: Cube the potatoes. Then put the potatoes in a large saucepan with salted cold water and place in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, add some more salt and then bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain well, place potato cubes in a food mill, and grind to remove skins. Alternatively, smash the potatoes with a large fork or potato masher.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until the butter stops foaming and turns a light brown. Add the garlic paste and cook quickly. Add the cream, season, to taste, with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and fold in potatoes with a wooded spoon or large whisk. Add the remaining butter by tablespoons, stirring after each addition. Stir in the extra-virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve.