Mashed Potatoes with Herb-Infused Cream and Chives
This decadent side dish is the family recipe of one of our former Test Kitchen cooks—she even called her mom to get the ratios just right when writing it for us—and it has been one of our most popular potato recipes ever since. You can peel the potatoes the day before, then cover with cold water and refrigerate until ready to cook.
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Ingredients
- 4 1/2 lb. (2.25 kg) russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 1/2 cups (12 fl. oz./375 ml) heavy cream
- 1 tsp. minced garlic
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 1 large fresh thyme sprig
- 1 large fresh rosemary sprig
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp. peppercorns
- 8 Tbs. (1 stick) (4 oz./125 g) unsalted butter, diced
- 1/4 cup (1/2 oz./15 g) chopped fresh chives
Directions
Put the potatoes in a large pot, add water to cover by 3 inches (7.5 cm) 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 with a knife, about 15 minutes. Drain well in a colander.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the cream, garlic, shallot, thyme sprig, rosemary sprig, bay leaf and peppercorns. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the cream is reduced to about 1 cup (8 fl. oz./250 ml), 10 to 12 minutes. Strain the cream through a fine-mesh sieve and keep warm.
Working in batches, pass the potatoes through a ricer into a large bowl. Add the butter, then gradually pour in the cream, stirring constantly until the potatoes are smooth and creamy. Stir in the chives and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. Serve immediately. Serves 8 to 10.
Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen