To make the Irish specialty called Champ add 4 finely chopped green onions, ¼ cup sliced chives, or 6 finely chopped ramps to the hot butter and cream. Some add 4 ounces chopped stinging nettles as well. Using gloves or tongs, add the nettles to the hot cream, cover, and let them cook for a few minutes before adding to the mashed potatoes. Make Champ with half potatoes and half rutabaga and you have a Scottish specialty called Clapshot.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. To expose the cloves, cut the top third from: 4 large heads garlic
Drizzle over the cut portions of the heads: 2 tablespoons olive oil
Wrap each head tightly in foil, place in a baking dish, and bake until the garlic is soft and tender, about 45 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.
QUICK PAN-ROASTED GARLIC CLOVES
This method produces a firmer result with a toasty flavor. Pan-roasting is ideal for mellowing out garlic before using in salsas or uncooked table sauces like Habanero-Citrus Hot Sauce.
Place in a heavy skillet over medium heat: Garlic cloves, unpeeled, excess skin removed
Let the skin of the cloves blacken, and then turn them. Repeat until the cloves have charred spots on all sides, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool.
2 pinches saffron threads, crushed and steeped in 2 tablespoons warm chicken stock or broth or water for 10 minutes
¼ cup finely chopped mild herbs, such as parsley and chives, or 2 tablespoons minced rosemary, sage, or thyme
¼ cup minced shallots, onions, or green onions (white part only)
2 tablespoons dry sherry, dry red or white wine, Madeira, or port
(¼ cup heavy cream)
(Finely grated zest of ½ lemon)
Salt and black pepper to taste
Pinch of dried thyme or grated or ground nutmeg
Sub-recipe steps
Chop very fine or pulse in a food processor until they resemble oatmeal: 8 ounces mushrooms
Squeeze about ½ cup of the mushrooms at a time in a thin cotton towel, wringing them very hard to extract their juices. The mushrooms will be in a solid lump if you have squeezed hard enough.
Melt in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until the foam subsides: 2 tablespoons butter
Add and cook briefly, until softened: ¼ cup minced shallots, onions, or green onions (white part only)
Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until they have begun to brown and there is very little liquid left, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in: 2 tablespoons dry sherry, dry red or white wine, Madeira, or port
Cook until completely evaporated. Stir in: (¼ cup heavy cream); (Finely grated zest of ½ lemon); Salt and black pepper to taste; Pinch of dried thyme or grated or ground nutmeg
Let cool. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 10 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
1 pound yellow, red, white, or sweet onions, halved and thinly sliced or cut into ½-inch or larger dice
Salt and black pepper
Sub-recipe steps
Heat in a large skillet over medium-high heat: 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Add and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned around the edges, 10 to 15 minutes: 1 pound yellow, red, white, or sweet onions, halved and thinly sliced or cut into ½-inch or larger dice
Season well with: Salt and black pepper
Up to 1 cup grated Swiss, Gruyère, or Cheddar (4 ounces) or ½ cup soft goat cheese (2 ounces)
Let's Prepare
Collect
Gather these ingredients — no prep needed yet.
1 Peeled cloves from 2 heads Roasted Garlic I
2 pinches saffron threads, crushed and steeped in 2 tablespoons warm chicken stock or broth or water for 10 minutes
¼ cup finely chopped mild herbs, such as parsley and chives, or 2 tablespoons minced rosemary, sage, or thyme
1 Up to 1 cup Duxelles
1 Up to 1 cup Sautéed Onions or Caramelized Onions
Up to 1 cup grated Swiss, Gruyère, or Cheddar (4 ounces) or ½ cup soft goat cheese (2 ounces)
Let's Cook
Step 1.
Aside from these traditional combinations, mashed potatoes can be flavored with a vast number of ingredients. Here are some of our favorites: Peeled cloves from 2 heads Roasted Garlic I; 2 pinches saffron threads, crushed and steeped in 2 tablespoons warm chicken stock or broth or water for 10 minutes; ¼ cup finely chopped mild herbs, such as parsley and chives, or 2 tablespoons minced rosemary, sage, or thyme; Up to 1 cup Duxelles; Up to 1 cup Sautéed Onions or Caramelized Onions; Up to 1 cup grated Swiss, Gruyère, or Cheddar (4 ounces) or ½ cup soft goat cheese (2 ounces)
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