It's so ironic that I have so many mashed potato recipes on this blog but, in reality, 99% of the time I make mashed potatoes I sort of just wing it and mix stuff up not according to any particular recipe. That's real life, folks. BUT sometimes you wanna mix things up and do something specific and special and that's what happened here with these lovelies.
Creamy mashed potatoes with all the flavorful and somewhat sweet deliciousness imparted by roasted garlic and caramelized onions totally make the time that goes into them worth it! Michael even enjoyed them and generally he's pretty meh on mashed potatoes. Highly recommend!
Roasted Garlic and Caramelized Onion Mashed Potatoes
Adapted from Baker by Nature
Makes approx. 7 servings.
Notes-If you don't have a food processor, do your best to chop the caramelized onions into an "onion paste".
-The garlic and caramelized onions can be made ahead of time.
Ingredients:
- 1 garlic bulb
- 2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 1 yellow/sweet onion, thinly sliced
- 5 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup milk (any kind you prefer)
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup butter
- salt and pepper, to taste
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Remove excess papery skins from garlic bulb and carefully slice off the top. Place in a square of aluminum foil in a small, oven-safe, baking dish, drizzle the bulb with 1 tbsp. of olive oil and wrap up foil up and around the garlic bulb, twisting shut at the top. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the inner garlic cloves have softened. Let cool until comfortable to the touch and then squeeze the roasted cloves out of the skins.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-low heat, saute the onions in remaining 1 tbsp. of olive oil, stirring occasionally, for 30-45 minutes, or until caramelized and brown (if they get too dry during the process, add a bit of water or chicken broth). Transfer to a food processor or strong blender, cover, and process until blended.
- Place potatoes in a large pot and season with salt. Just cover with cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Once at a rapid boil, reduce heat to medium and cook until the potatoes are tender enough to pierce with a fork (about 15 minutes).
- Meanwhile, combine the heavy cream, milk, sour cream, and butter in a microwave safe container and heat for about 30 seconds-1 minute on high heat-until everything is uniformly warm.
- When the potatoes are tender, drain well. Put back in the pot or in a large bowl and add in the roasted garlic cloves, caramelized onion paste, warmed up liquid ingredients, and salt and pepper. Use a handheld on low (or medium-low) speed to beat the potatoes until everything is combined and they're fluffy and creamy. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, etc. as needed.
- Serve warm! Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Or, to freeze: place completely cooled mashed potatoes in a freezer-safe container and freeze. When ready to eat, thaw in refrigerator overnight, then microwave, covered, on high in a microwave-safe bowl until heated through. Add a little cream/milk if needed.
Bowl of potato-y goodness.