Recipe Box

• Big stock pot (to boil potatoes in)
• Colander
• Potato masher

• 4 russet potatoes, peeled & cut into about 8 pieces each
• 6T butter
• 1 head of garlic (or at least 8 cloves), minced
• 3/4 c whole milk
• 1.5 tsp salt (kosher or Maldon), or to taste, plus more for the cooking water
• Black pepper to taste

• Peel the potatoes
• Smash and peel the garlic

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high. Add the potatoes and boil for about 20 minutes, until they offer almost no resistance when pierced with a fork. Drain the potatoes in a colander; let them sit in the colander about 5 minutes to dry.

While the potatoes are cooking, melt the butter in a small saucepan on medium-low. Add the minced garlic and cook 10-15 minutes until soft. Add the milk to the butter & garlic and continue to heat on medium-low until steaming, holding until the potatoes are ready. Reduce heat as needed to keep it below a simmer.

When the potatoes are dry but still hot, transfer them to a large mixing bowl (or back to the large pot, off the heat). Mash the potatoes thoroughly using a potato masher.

Add the salt and pepper and about 1/4 of the warm garlic-butter-milk mixture, and stir with a spatula until incorporated. Continue to stir in the milk mixture about 1/4 at a time. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.