I suppose “rustic” is just a fancy way of saying that I make mashed potatoes with the skins on. Why keep the skins, you ask? Not only does it make the name sound fancier, it also makes for a more nutritious mashed potato. The skins house most of the nutrients in the humble potato, including:
- vitamin B6
- vitamin C
- potatssium
- iron
- zinc
- phytonutrients
- fiber
In fact, that fiber is especially helping for slowing down the quick carbohydrate burst that comes from starchy potatoes, making them easier on your body and especially your blood sugar with the skin left on. That, and the fact that I really dislike peeling potatoes, so claiming better nutrition seems like an easy out. Just kidding. Mostly. (And seriously, if y’all really hate potato skins, then just peel them and carry on with the recipe. It won’t hurt my feelings.) You may also note that my recipe contains butter, whole milk and sour cream, and I still consider it to be healthy. It’s too long to go into here, but I firmly believe that our bodies need good, old-fashioned saturated fats from dairy just like great-grandma grew up on. The source matters, and so I choose grass-fed and raw as much as possible, but the most important thing is sticking with traditional, and not modern, fats!
Rustic Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 5 lbs potatoes I prefer a yellow or red potato, but anything is fine, chopped into large chunks. If you're keeping the skins on, I recommend organic.
- 1 tsp sea salt or to taste
- 1/2 stick 1/4 cup butter -- grass fed is ideal, as is raw/cultured
- 1 cup dairy -- I like to use 1/2 cup sour cream or creme fraiche with 1/2 cup whole, raw milk. But you could use all milk, all sour cream, buttermilk, etc.
- 1-2 heads of roasted garlic cloves minced or pressed (personally, we like more than less– I put two whole heads of garlic, about 16 cloves, into mine!)
Dairy-Free Variation:
- Substitute coconut oil for the butter. Instead of using milk and sour cream you could use a mixture of chicken broth and coconut milk, or just omit the coconut milk and use all chicken broth (but you won’t want quite as much, since it is thinner than dairy). This will give it a rich flavor and you probably won’t even miss the dairy.
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400 F. Put a large pot of water on to boil (I use a small stockpot).
- [cap id="attachment_34649" align="alignnone" width="300"]This is what the garlic look like after being roasted. See how I’ve opened them by cutting off just the tips?[/cap]
- Snip the top off the garlic head(s) (but leave the peel on). Put them on a tray or uncovered pan and let them roast in the oven for about 30 minutes, until soft and fragrant and the peels are brown on the edges.
- Boil the potatoes in their skins until they are soft enough to easily pierce with a fork (about 20-30 minutes). Don’t leave potatoes boiling or sitting in hot water longer than necessary, because they will develop more of a gluey consistency. Best to drain them straight away, even if you won’t get to them for a little while.
- Add the butter to the pot until melted. Add in sour cream (milk, creme fraiche, broth, etc.), milk, salt, and garlic. Using either a potato masher or a hand mixer, begin to mash the potatoes and mix in the butter. I don’t like mine super-smooth, but you can beat them until smooth if you like them that way. It helps to give it a few minutes to let the flavors shine, especially the garlic.
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This recipe looks delicious! I love adding chives and heavy cream (!) to my mashed potatoes. 🙂 We’ll definitely be having mashed potatoes and stuffing for Thanksgiving this year!
I like it with heavy cream, too. 🙂 I gave readers different dairy options because I know that not everyone likes it quite so heavy, but it’s my personal preference!
Your recipe sounds great! Over the last few years, I have boiled my potatoes in chicken broth, which makes them absolutely delicious by the time they’re ready to be mashed. All I really add is a little milk and salt and pepper. Maybe you can try it next time to make your healthy potatoes even healthier! I promise you won’t be disappointed!
That sounds like a wonderful idea, Mel! I’m always trying to think of ways to get more broth into us. I often use it in place of some of the water when I make things like rice or quinoa, but I’ll try it with potatoes!
I have a silly question. What am I doing with the garluc after I roast it?