roasted garlic mashed potatoes

when it comes to mashed potatoes, i like mine with a bit of texture to them. my mom's creamy and smooth mashed potatoes are too delicious for anyone else to replicate, so i usually take a different road when making them for myself. i leave the skins on, add some dairy for mashing ability, and throw in a lot of roasted garlic to whip up some skin-on roasted garlic mashed potatoes.

start by roasting your garlic. an awesome way to mellow and sweeten the flavor of garlic, roasting it is an effortless process.

take a head of garlic, and chop off the top half-inch or so - to expose the cloves.

place them on a piece of foil large enough to fold them in, and drizzle generously with olive oil, ensuring that some oil gest on all of the cloves.

fold or crumple the foil to enclose the garlic heads, place the packet on a cookie sheet, and roast for 35-45 minutes in the oven at 400 degrees F.

while the garlic roasts, you can prepare the potatoes. i had russet potatoes on hand, although yukon golds are usually my tuber of choice. any type of potato should work.

make sure you scrub them well, since the skins will stay on for this recipe. cut them into relatively even sized pieces to ensure even cooking.

cover the potatoes in water and bring to a boil. reduce heat to a low boil and cook for 15-20 minutes until you can easily pierce any piece with a fork. you should not feel resistance in the potato when you poke it.

once the potatoes are soft, transfer them to a colander to drain. then, return them to the pot.

if you timed it right, your garlic should be just about finished. the cloves will be soft and golden brown.

squeeze the head of garlic near the base, and the soft cloves should come right out.

the garlic will be mashable, and at this point it makes a delicious spread for crusty bread.

now back to the potatoes: use yogurt to add some creaminess and to make mashing easier.

add in your mashed garlic (i used 2 small heads) and some salt to taste.

mash it around until everything is combined. you can add a splash of milk if you like more moisture in mashed potatoes.

to serve, i usually reserve a few cloves, mash them up and put them on top for garnish (and extra garlicky flavor!)

roasted garlic with olive oil
makes 3 heads of roasted garlic

ingredients:

3 heads of garlic
1 tbsp olive oil

directions:
1.   preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2.   cut the top 1/2 inch or so off the top of the heads of garlic. the cloves should all be exposed.
3.   place the garlic heads on a piece of foil large enough to enclose them in, and drizzle with the olive oil. be sure the oil gets on each clove to prevent burning.
4.   crumple or fold up the foil around the heads of garlic, and place on a cookie sheet. roast for 35-45 minutes until the cloves appear golden brown and are very soft.
5.   let cool slightly, then squeeze the garlic cloves out using gentle pressure from the base.


skin-on roasted garlic mashed potatoes
makes about 4 servings

ingredients:

1.5 lbs potatoes (russet or yukon gold are good options)
cloves of 2 small heads of roasted garlic (recipe above)
2 tbsp greek yogurt
salt, to taste
splash of milk, optional

directions:

1.   cut potatoes into chunks of equal size.
2.   cover the potatoes in water in a medium pot and bring to a boil.
3.   once boiling, reduce to a low boil and let cook for aobut 15-20 minutes or until your potatoes can be pierced easily with a fork.
4.   strain the potatoes with a colander and then return to the pot.
5.   add the greek yogurt, roasted garlic, and a splash of milk if desired.
6.   mash until you reach the consistency you like and add salt to your tastes.



notes:

- try spreading the roasted garlic on toasted bread for a delicious appetizer!