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Thanksgiving: Mashed Potatoes with Herb-Infused Cream

Source of Recipe

From "Williams-Sonoma: The Best of Thanksgiving"


List of Ingredients

â—¦ 4 ½ pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
â—¦ 1 ½ cups heavy cream
â—¦ 1 teaspoon minced garlic
â—¦ 1 shallot, thinly sliced
â—¦ 1 large fresh thyme sprig
â—¦ 1 large fresh rosemary sprig
â—¦ 1 bay leaf
â—¦ 1 teaspoon peppercorns
â—¦ ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, diced
â—¦ ¼ cup chopped fresh chives
â—¦ Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper


Recipe

Put the potatoes in a large pot, add water to cover by 3 inches, and generously salt the water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the potatoes are tender when pierced, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the cream, garlic, shallot, thyme sprig, rosemary sprig, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer until the cream is reduced to about 1 cup, 10 to 12 minutes. Strain the cream through a fine-mesh sieve and keep warm.

When the potatoes are ready, drain them well. Pass the potatoes through a ricer into a large bowl. Stir in the butter, then gradually pour in the cream, stirring constantly until the potatoes are smooth and creamy. Stir in the chives. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. (You can cook the potatoes up to 2 days in advance and refrigerate, covered. Just before serving, pour a thin layer of milk onto the bottom of a wide pot, add the potatoes, and heat, stirring occasionally, until hot.) Serve right away.

Serves 8 to 10