Aligot (French Mashed Potatoes)

The first time I saw this recipe, I pretty much just breezed right over it. After all, mashed potatoes are something I’ve never used a recipe for. I make them as I go along, not measuring anything, and seasoning to taste. They are always wonderful – why bother with a recipe? I don’t remember what caused me to give these a second look but clearly I wasn’t paying enough attention the first time. These aren’t just mashed potatoes. These are ooey gooey cheesy mashed potatoes, with Gruyere for crying out loud. In any case, I decided these would be the perfect side dish for the garlic rosemary roast chicken, and I was right.

This recipe was surprisingly easy to make with the help of the food processor. Plus, I get such a kick out of shredding cheese and things with the food processor – it never fails to amuse me! I normally don’t have much patience for involved side dishes but this one was pretty low maintenance, and the end result was completely worth any extra effort this required compared to my regular mashed potatoes. I mean, mashed potatoes that can do that kind of stretching are a very good thing in my book.

Yield about 8 servings

Ingredients

2 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes (about 4-6)
1 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1-1½ cups whole milk
4 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded
4 oz. Gruyere cheese, shredded
Ground black pepper

Directions

01
Peel, rinse, and chop the potatoes into ½-1 inch chunks. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan or pot, and cover with water, salting lightly. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer over medium-low and cook until the potatoes are tender and easily break apart when poked with a fork, about 15-20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and transfer to the bowl of a food processor. Wipe out the pan for later use.
02
Add the butter, garlic, and salt to the potatoes in the food processor. Pulse until the butter is melted and incorporated into the potatoes, about 10 brief pulses. Add 1 cup of the milk through the feed tube and continue to process until the mixture is smooth and creamy, about 20 seconds, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
03
Return the potato mixture to the now empty saucepan and set over medium heat. Mix in the cheeses until completely melted and incorporated, stirring frequently. The mixture will be thick and elastic. If the mixture is too thick or difficult to stir, add the remaining ½ cup of milk a little bit at a time until the texture is loose and creamy. Adjust seasonings as necessary with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Source

adapted from The Way the Cookie Crumbles, originally from Cook’s Illustrated