Every Thanksgiving table should have 2 starches—Myra Goodman’s recipe for fluffy, garlicky mashed potatoes is an essential standby.

 

Ingredients

• 6 medium-size Yukon Gold or Yellow Finn potatoes (about 2 pounds), peeled and cut into ½-inch chunks
• 5 cups Blond Chicken Stock, store-bought low-sodium chicken broth, or water
• 2 medium-size heads Roasted Garlic (recipe follows)
• ¾ cup reduced-fat buttermilk
• 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter

 

Instructions

1. Place the potatoes and stock in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the potatoes simmer, covered, until tender, about 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, squeeze the soft garlic pulp from the garlic cloves into a small bowl and discard the garlic skins. Set the garlic aside.

3. Heat the buttermilk and butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Keep warm.

4. Drain the potatoes, setting the stock aside for another use (such as soup), and transfer the hot potatoes to a medium-size bowl.

5. Using a potato masher or large fork, coarsely mash the potatoes. Add the warm buttermilk and butter mixture and mash until smooth. Add the roasted garlic to the potatoes and stir to combine.

6. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper to taste. If they have cooled, reheat them slowly in a medium-size saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently, until warmed through, then serve. The mashed potatoes can be kept warm for up to 1 hour in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water.

 

 

Roasted Garlic

 

Ingredients

• 2 medium-size garlic heads
• 2 teaspoons olive oil

 

Instructions

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F.

2. Cut off and discard the top ½ inch of each garlic head. Remove the loose, outer layers of paperlike skin, leaving the heads intact. Rub the garlic heads with the olive oil and tightly seal both of them together in heavy-duty aluminum foil or a double layer of regular aluminum foil.

3. Place the foil package directly on the oven rack and bake the garlic until the cloves are very soft, 40 to 50 minutes (larger heads will take longer).

4. Open the foil package and let the garlic heads cool. To use, squeeze the soft, golden garlic pulp out of the papery skins. The garlic can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 1 week.

 

 

For more projects like this, check out Food to Live By from Myra Goodman—just $2.99 for the holidays!

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