Garlicky Mashed Potatoes : Rick Bayless

"From The Earth" is this week's theme at I Heart Cooking Club, where we are currently cooking from Rick Bayless's recipes. This is our first month with Rick Bayless, and we are starting the second month next week, how time flies by in a jiffy! For this week's theme, my plan was to make a vegetable salad, but somehow find myself making Garlicky Mashed Potatoes instead! I guess that potatoes are perfect for this theme and I have some homegrown chives, direct "from the earth"! (wink!!)

Chives in my potted garden. There are only two clumps but enough for my garnishings, omelettes and stir-fry noodles. And these plants are about eighteen months old, I grew these from seeds. Once the leaves are cut, they grow back really fast, I've been enjoying the leaves from the same plants for 18 months now. I have another pot of seeds that I've sowed two weeks ago and now have just sprouted some tiny little cute plants! :o)

Newly sprouted chives

 Young and tender leaves, great for garnishing.

My kids loves mashed potatoes, and I made this Garlicky Mashed Potatoes for their after school meal, as a side, together with some baked ham and eggs and some fresh cucumber and tomatoes.

Of course, this is a winner, they love it! The potatoes and garlic are first boiled till tender and mashed with warm milk, butter, season with salt and pepper. I did remove half the garlic before I mashed them up as the taste can be quite strong. Garnish with some chives and more coarse black pepper, yum!

Garlicky Mashed Potates

Do stop by I Heart Cooking Clubs and see what the others have come up with. If you would like to join us for some Mexican fiesta cooking from Rick Bayless's recipes, you can find out more details from IHCC.

Garlicky Mashed Potatoes
(source from : Frontera Kitchen, Rick Bayless)
Serves 4 to 6
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1-1/2-inch chunks (I use Russet, peeled)
8 to 12 large garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup warmed milk or half-and-half, or more as needed
4 to 6 tablespoons softened butter
about 1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives, optional


Put potatoes and garlic cloves into a large saucepan with salted water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low; cook until potatoes and garlic are fork-tender, about 20 minutes.


Drain and return potatoes and garlic to the pot. Set the pot over low heat and add the milk or half-and-half, butter and salt. Mash with a potato masher until as smooth as you like. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Transfer to a warm serving dish and sprinkle with chives.