Rosemary Garlic Mashed Potatoes

These were pretty good (nobody complained anyway), I think I would increase the amount of rosemary next time, but that's just me. If you like a lot of garlic, certainly add as much as you want.

The recipe says to make them "wetter" than you think they should be because they will continue to absorb liquid and could become too dry by the time you serve them. They're not kidding! Don't skip that part - especially if you won't be serving them immediately. Oh and if you notice the slow cooker in the photo... it's only there to keep the finished potatoes warm during the travel and waiting to eat time (yep - made them for a pot luck). Which brings me to my next point. I tripled this recipe, so if you don't need to feed 12 people, just divide the ingredients by 3...

Rosemary Garlic Mashed Potatoes
adapted from Cook's Illustrated magazine, Nov/Dec 2004 issue
click here for a "non-garlic/non-rosemary/serves a normal number of people" version

Serves: 12

6 lbs. red potatoes
1 large bay leaf (or 2 small ones)
3 large cloves garlic, peeled
2 Tblsp salt
3/4 cup butter (one and a half sticks)
1 Tblsp pepper
1 Tblsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
12 oz. cream cheese, room temp

Scrub potatoes and place in stock pot. Fill pot with cold water to an inch above the potatoes, add 1 Tblsp of the salt, the bay leaf and 1 whole clove of garlic. Cover and bring to a boil. Remove lid and reduce heat; simmer potatoes for 30 minutes or until tender.

While potatoes are cooking, melt butter over medium heat in a small pan. Finely mince or press the two remaining garlic cloves. When the melted butter has stopped foaming, add the rosemary and minced/pressed garlic. Cook for no more than one minute (garlic should be fragrant but not browned). Take pan off heat.

When potatoes are done cooking, drain them reserving 2 cups of the cooking liquid. (I usually just put a measuring cup in the sink next to the colander, pour the liquid into the cup first, then dump everything into the colander.) Find and remove bay leaf, and return potatoes to the empty pot. Let potatoes sit for 5 minutes while you add the garlic-rosemary butter to the softened cream cheese and whisk in 1 cup of reserved liquid, the ground pepper and remaining salt, until thoroughly combined.

With a wooden spoon, lightly break up the potatoes (do not mash!). Fold in the cream cheese mixture. When most of the liquid has been absorbed, start adding more of the reserved liquid, by 1/4 cup increments until absorption slows down and potatoes are wetter than you would normally like. Taste to see if it needs more salt. Serve.

If, like me, you won't be serving them immediately, make them a lot wetter, then transfer to a preheated crock pot set to "low" or "warm".

Try it, you might like it!
-Steph