Roasted garlic, fresh sage add depth

Associated Press

Take your mashed potatoes to another level with garlic roasted in simmering oil and fried fresh sage. A potato ricer or food mill produces especially smooth potatoes, but if you don’t have those you can just skip ahead to the mixer step.

ROASTED GARLIC AND SAGE MASHED POTATOES

Start to finish: 30 minutes

Servings: 6 to 8

5 large or 10 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks

1 head garlic

Canola or vegetable oil, for roasting the garlic

15 fresh sage leaves

1‚Ñ4 cup heavy cream

6 tablespoons butter

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Place the potatoes in a large saucepan of lightly salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel and trim the garlic cloves, then place in a small saucepan. Add enough oil to cover, then set over low heat and bring to a simmer. As soon as the oil is simmering, add the sage and cook until slightly crispy, about 1 minute.

Use a slotted spoon to remove the sage and transfer to paper towels to drain. Leave the garlic in the oil and continue simmering until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain and cool. Finely chop the garlic and sage.

When the potatoes are tender, drain them. Press them through a food mill or potato ricer into a large bowl. Add the cream, butter, garlic and sage, then use an electric mixer to beat the potatoes until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.