Mashed Potatoes with Garlic and Sour Cream

easycreamymashedpotatoes Easy Creamy Mashed Potatoes Recipe full flavoured with butter, sour cream, garlic and Parmesan cheese. Perfect for the any time of the year. With a table full of food, the most loved and devoured foods are side dishes. The secret to this mash though is not an abundance of butter, but SOUR CREAM. Make sure you start with the best potato possible. In America, go for Yukon golds or Russet potatoes. In Australia, choose Dutch Creams, Crème Gold or Crème Royale.

2.2 lbs potatoes, such as; Russet, Yukon Gold, Dutch Creams, Crème Gold, Crème Royale (1 kg)
1 tsp. kosher or sea salt
½ cup milk, hot
⅓ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
6-8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
¼ cup sour cream
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
kosher or sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground

Garnish:
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

Peel and cut potatoes into quarters lengthwise. Remove any spots, lumps or knots.

Place potatoes in a large pot (6 qt) and cover with cold, salted water by an". Bring to a boil, reduce heat down to medium-low and allow to simmer until fork tender (about 15-20 minutes).

When potatoes are just about done (nearly fork-tender), heat 1 Tbsp. of the butter in a small pan over medium-high heat. Sauté garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Set aside and keep warm.

Drain cooked potatoes, add in the remaining butter, cooked garlic, hot milk and sour cream.

Mash the potatoes with a potato masher until smooth, adding a little extra milk if needed. (Optional: Use a strong wooden spoon or electric beaters to beat further until smooth. Be careful not to overbeat or they will become gluey).

Add in the Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 4 servings.

Cook's Notes:

You can add almost anything and they will taste amazing. Some optional ingredients: onions: green onions, shallots, red onion (again, add to the water with the potatoes and cook together), chives, fresh herbs like thyme, parsley or rosemary, cream cheese and bacon
Salted water for boiling: not adding salt to the water will yield bland tasting potatoes.
Softened unsalted butter: using unsalted ensures you have full control of how salty your mash comes out.
Sour cream: makes them even creamier when compared to regular potatoes.
Garlic: use fresh where possible.
Fresh shredded Parmesan cheese: adds incredible flavour.
Hot milk: why hot milk? To ensure your potatoes are still warm after mashing.
Cut your potatoes into the same sized pieces to ensure they all cook evenly and at the same time.
Boil potatoes in salted water until JUST fork-tender. Try not to overcook too much as they can become quite sticky or gluey when overcooked.
Mash the potatoes with a potato masher until smooth, adding a little extra milk if needed. You can also use an electric hand mixer beaters to ensure a smoother consistency. Beat just enough for them to smooth out while being extra careful not to over beat as they may become gluggy.