This love story starts in Paris when I was 16 years old wandering in to a little bistro for a lovely dinner just off the champs elysee. An order of escargot, duck confit, lots of bread and butter and this new (to me) and divine dish called ALIGOT, pronounce "ah-lee-got". And it was a dish that made it's mark on me forever because they were the best mashed potatoes of my life.
I spent ages trying to recreate the recipe at home. And whilst it's not 100 percent authentic due to traditionally the French using Tomme De Laguiole cheese which is hard to find outside of France. So instead, I use a blend of Comté and Mozzarella for the same effect. They are whipped in to a dream with everything bad for you in the world; butter, cream and lots of cheese. Lots of garlic so make outs aren't recommended. But they stretch like a good pair of lululemons.
Being from England, I obviously didn't grow up with Thanksgiving, (that would be weird if we celebrated you all leaving us). And don't get me wrong, I prefer a proper crunchy roastie potato over mashed any day. But I have come to accept thanksgiving here in the states = copious amounts of mashed potatoes. But your Mum's mashed potatoes will no longer cut it after eating these smooth dreamy, creamy, cheesy ones.
So here we are, a must make very French inspired mashed potato recipe for Thanksgiving.
Enjoy people and thank me later!
This recipe will make enough potatoes for 4-6 people so double/triple if you need more!
You will need:
4-6 (depending on size), large russet potatoes, peeled and chopped in to large chunks
1.5 cups heavy cream
4 tbsp butter
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 cup Comté cheese
4 cloves garlic, crushed
Salt/pepper to taste
Start by washing and peeling your organic russet potatoes. Chop them in half and then the half in to quarters.
Salt water and bring them to a boil in a deep dutch oven pot with the potatoes in the water from cold as that way they cook evenly.
Cook in the boiling water for 20 minutes until soft and they fall apart with a fork. This is how you'll get the smoothest mash.
While your potatoes cook, grate your Comte cheese.
Drain the potatoes and then with a ricer, rice them all, spoonful by spoonful.
Add in your crushed garlic, heavy cream and butter and over a low heat in your Dutch oven, start whisking the diced potatoes.
Add in a scrunch of black pepper and a pinch of Maldon sea salt and then add in your grated cheese.
Whip the potatoes with your whisk over the low heat until the cheese is melted in to the potatoes and it starts to stretch.
Serve straight out of the Dutch oven keeping it warm over the lowest heat simmer to keep the cheesy mash stretchy and melted.
Enjoy for thanksgiving or just a rainy cozy day with coq au vin!
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