Mashed Potatoes and Pommes Mont d’Or
Mashed potatoes cooked with the absolute minimum amount of water and flavored with garlic can be served alongside many dishes or transformed into pommes mont d’or, puffed like a golden soufflé, delicious and very elegant.
Serves 4
Ingredients
Mashed Potatoes
- 1 ½ pounds Yukon gold or other waxy potatoes
- 2 cups cold water
- 4 cloves garlic
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 stick unsalted butter
Pommes Mont d’Or
- 4 cups mashed potatoes
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup grated Gruyère, Emmentaler or Swiss cheese
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmigiano Reggiano or parmesan cheese cheese
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
Method
Mashed Potatoes
- Peel the potatoes and cut into 1 ½-inch cubes. Place in a saucepan with the cold water and garlic cloves. Season well with salt, and cook until very tender, about 30 minutes. The potatoes should have no resistance when pierced with a knife. Drain off any liquid remaining in the pan and return the pan with the potatoes to the stovetop. Mash well with a potato masher. Season with pepper, add the butter, and mix with a whisk until smooth.
Pommes Mont d’Or
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Using a wire whisk, mix together the mashed potatoes, eggs, and grated Gruyère. Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary.
- Oil the bottom and sides of a 6-cup gratin dish and fill it with the mixture. Sprinkle with the Parmigiano Reggiano and bake until puffy and golden, 35 to 40 minutes.
Notes
I love to mashed potatoes served alongside many dishes. Here I use the absolute minimum amount of water needed. That way when they are done cooking, I do not have to drain them. The garlic adds extra flavor.
The pommes mont d’or, or golden mount potato, are a perfect way to use up leftover mashed potatoes. Sometimes I make mashed potatoes just to make the mont d’or. The mixture becomes puffed like a golden soufflé. It’s delicious and very elegant.
