Mashed Potatoes with Garlic and Olive Oil

4-6 Servings

2 pounds, medium-sized red skinned potatoes
4 large cloves garlic, unpeeled

Place potatoes and garlic in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to boil over high heat, reduce to simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, 20-30 minutes. Do not over cook. Drain well.

Place potatoes in mixing bowl. Squeeze garlic pulp from the skin and add to potatoes. Beat potatoes with electric mixer*, first with flat beater then with wire whip, until fluffy (or use potato-masher and mash until well blended - this will reduce prep clean-up time but results will not be as "creamy"). With mixer running, slowly beat into the mixture:

¼ olive oil

Season with

Salt and pepper to taste

VARIATION:

Just after adding the olive oil, add either:

Chopped fresh parsley (about 1/3 c)
or
Chopped fresh dill (about 1/3 c)

January 2015: Since I wrote this post I have aquired an immersion blender (see Cool Tools 3). Going forward I will be using the immersion blender instead of the mixer for "a creamy version" of this recipe. The potatoes may have to be cut in smaller pieces to accomodate the blender, but the prep time should be shorter and the clean-up much easier. For a more "home-style" , I will still choose the potato-masher.

Reviewed 8/28/2017