Garlic Herb Mashed Potatoes

Garlic herb confit blended into a pillowy mound of mashed potatoes.
#sides 

Ingredients⌗

Confit⌗

  • 3 heads of garlic, peeled (or 35-50 cloves)
  • EVOO (roughly 1-2 cups)
  • 2-3 thyme stems
  • 1 rosemary stem

Potatoes⌗

  • 2 lbs Russett or Yukon Gold potatoes
  • 4 tbsp butter, softened if not melted
  • 3/4 cup half-and-half, room temperature if not warmer
  • 2 tsp minced rosemary leaves
  • 1 tsp minced thyme leaves
  • Salt
  • Black pepper, to taste

Instructions⌗

Make the Confit⌗

  1. Preheat oven to 400.
  2. Fill a small, oven-proof container with the garlic cloves. Fill with just enough EVOO to submerge everything; leave some space at the top to avoid spills or boiling over.
  3. Place the herb sprigs on top of the garlic. Cover with an oven-proof lid or aluminum foil.
  4. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until cloves are golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool somewhat before using. If making ahead, refrigerate in an air-tight container until using.

Make the Potatoes⌗

  1. Peel the potatoes and chop into roughly inch-thick chunks. Add to a large pot of heavily salted, unheated water. Set on high heat, bring to a boil, and hold at a simmer for roughly 15-20 minutes, until soft and tender (you can insert a fork all the way with little resistance). Remove from heat, drain water.
  2. Remove about 3/4 of the garlic cloves from the oil to a large mixing bowl (stand mixer recommended). Mash with a fork into a paste.
  3. Add the butter, half-and-half, minced herbs, 1 tbsp of the confit oil, hearty pinches of salt and pepper, and potatoes to the mixing bowl. Mix using the whisk of a stand mixer until creamy.
  4. For serving, add the remaining garlic cloves to the top, and drizzle with a little of the confit oil.

Makes roughly 2-1/2 pounds of potatoes.