roasted garlic mashed potatoes

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Remove as much of the excess paper from the garlic leaving the only the paper skin of the cloves and keeping cloves intact. Slice off the pointy bottom part to expose the cloves – any part of garlic that gets cut off at this point, I add to the potato water. Place the heads of garlic on a sheet of aluminum foil cut side up and drizzle heavily with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Cover with foil and bake for 40-45 minutes until the garlic is soft and slightly caramelized.
2. Rinse and lightly scrub the potatoes to remove any dirt, especially if you’ll be leaving the skin on any of the potatoes for serving. In a large pot, add potatoes, herbs, kosher salt, and any small garlic pieces left from cutting the raw garlic above. Boil the potatoes for 30-40 minutes, or until you can very easily pierce a knife through them.
3. Drain the potatoes and allow them to cool for a few minutes before peeling them by hand – the peeling should come right off. Leave the skin on 1 or 2 of the potatoes for added texture.
4. Transfer the peeled potatoes back to the empty pot or a large mixing bowl and begin mashing them by hand. Add in heavy cream, butter, and roasted garlic (and some of the garlicky olive oil that sunk to the bottom of the foil) while continuing to mash. For a creamier texture, use an electric mixer for only 10-15 seconds (no more or you’ll end up with chewy and gummy potatoes). Serve with a sprinkle of fresh chives or parsley.