For example, I've been going through
Bobby Flay Cooks American, part of the latest round from
Jessica's Biscuit, and found this tasty variant on smashed potatoes:
Place
a stick of slightly softened,
unsalted butter in a food processor, along with
six chopped cloves of garlic and a
half cup of chopped soft herbs. (Any mix of soft herbs, such as mint, parsley, chives, tarragon, and cilantro will work - go for a balance that will match the main dish.) Blend until smooth, season with
salt and pepper, and refrigerate until everything else is ready.
(OK, I know - why use unsalted butter if you're going to use salt, right? Because if you use salted butter you don't have any control over the amount of salt you're using!)
Peel and cut into chunks
five pounds of Yukon Gold taters, put into a large saucepan, add enough
cold water to cover, and a couple of tablespoons of
salt. Bring to a boil, and let cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until soft. Drain well, and put the pan (and taters) back over
low heat.
Add
1 cup heavy cream plus
1 cup milk and the green garlic butter, and mash until smooth. Salt and pepper to taste.
Serves eight.
