Italian Style Garlic Mashed Potatoes

These are not ordinary mashed potatoes and in fact you don't want to eat them by yourself. You want to eat them with other garlic lovers. They do not have the same texture or flavor as the regular variety of mashed potatoes. These are mashed potatoes that have been taken up a notch or two. They compliment many dishes like in this case fried chicken but they go equally well with pork roast and mushroom gravy or roast beef.


Recipe
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2 pounds whole russet potatoes, unpeeled and cleaned. I have used 7-8 medium potatoes.
5 garlic cloves, larger cloves more garlic you can adjust this but 5 cloves is strong enough for me
2 tsp + 1/8 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup + 6 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
juice of 1 lemon


place cleaned potatoes in a large pot and cover with 2 inches of water. Cover and put on high heat. You want to get them to a boil and cook them until done about 45 Min.


While the potatoes are cooking take 1 clove of garlic and mince it. Then take 1/8 tsp kosher salt and take your chopping knife and mix it and mash it. Smearing it back and forth on the cutting block until you have the consistency of a paste. Place this in a bowl on the side.

Take the rest of the garlic and mince that as well. Then take 1/4 cup of the olive oil and place in a skillet. On med/low heat cook the 4 cloves of garlic for about 5 min. until they are sizzling/foaming and just getting toasty but not too brown.

Now place this in the bowl with the garlic paste and mix well.

Add the lemon, pepper, 6 tbs of olive oil and mix it good with your whip. Get it to a smooth consistency.

By now the potatoes should be done or almost done. Stick them with a fork and if the for goes in easily they are done. Drain them and place them on a cutting board to cool. Peel them with a paring knife.

The skin will peel right off and more starch than would normally have been the case with boiling peeled potatoes will have stayed in the potato itself. Yes, there is a difference.

Place the peeled potatoes in a clean pot or bowl and mash them. You can use a ricer if you like to do this.

Once they are mashed up good pour in the garlic and oil mixture.

Now use your whip to mix and fluff them up.

There they are ready to enjoy with your favorite dish.

John Besh's Grandmother's Fried Chicken

This is more of a review since I followed the directions exactly and did not deviate one bit. I made this along with garlic mash potatoes that I have been making for quite a while. The chicken turned out moist and delicious. It was cooked perfectly and was not overwhelmed by any spice. It was not hot or extra spicy as many recipes are these days. It was a lot like the fried chicken I grew up with and a fitting recipe for John's new book My Family Table. I made this for Valentine's Day supper. Thanks John!

This is how I made it.

Recipe: My grandmother's fried chicken

  John Besh

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• Salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 3 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons onion powder
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 quart milk
• Canola oil

Preparation

Salt and pepper the chicken pieces generously. Mix the flour, onion and garlic powder together. Dip the chicken in the milk and then dredge through the flour mixture to coat well. Heat 2 inches of canola oil in a skillet to 350 degrees F. Drop the chicken, in small batches, into the oil. Fry, covered, for 10 to 12 minutes and turn over, cooking for an additional 8 minutes. Place on paper towels to drain and salt immediately.

Serving Size

Serves 6

 =============================== Salt and pepper the chicken pieces generously

Mix the flour, onion and garlic powder together

Dip the chicken in the milk and then dredge through the flour mixture to coat well

Heat 2 inches of canola oil in a skillet to 350 degrees F

Drop the chicken, in small batches, into the oil

  

Fry, covered, for 10 to 12 minutes

turn over, cooking for an additional 8 minutes

 












Place on paper towels to drain and salt immediately

  

 

Garlic Lovers Mashed Potatoes

Sothern Italian Valentine Spicy Aglio e Olio Pasta

This is a dish that will warm your very heart and soul. It is the perfect primo piato for Valentines day. The flavors are delightful and dance on your tongue. The level of heat can be easily adjusted and so can the depth of color. That part I leave up to you. Your assignment is to make this dish yours by finding your level of spiciness.

Recipe

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1lb pasta dry or fresh

1-2 cups pasta water

2 tbs Kosher salt

2 tbs chopped Italian parsley

6 garlic cloves peeled and chopped

6 tbs extra virgin olive oil

1-2 tbs paprika your choice more for a redder color

1/4 -3 tsp crushed red pepper depending on the level of heat you are after

Start by filling a pot with 3 quarts water, the salt and bring to a boil. While the water is getting hot get your ingredients together. We want to time it so the pasta will finish cooking in the saute pan.

Get the olive oil hot in the saute pan and add the garlic but watch the heat. You don't want to over cook or burn the garlic and things start to move real fast once the oil is hot.

 

After a minute or so add the paprika, crushed red pepper and stir. Get them cooked but not overly cooked.

After another few minutes add the parsley. In between this the water should have started to boil. The pasta should be put in the water and stirred. After 5minutes for dry pasta 2 minutes for fresh pasta it will be ready to add to the saute pan to be finished off. Make sure you save 1-2 cups pasta water. this adds creaminess and flavor to your dish.

Stir in the pasta and get the spices in there.

Adding the pasta water while you finish cooking it in the saute pan makes the flavors come out.

You can turn the fire off once all the ingredients are mixed. The pasta will continue to cook and finish. It will also absorb the sauce and will become one with the sauce. You do not want the pasta overcooked so it is important not to cook for more than half the regular cooking time for al dente pasta in the water. After a few minutes that the fire has been turned off give it another good stir to mix the sauce well. Try to serve right away and avoid covering it because it will continue to cook and you want this pasta dish to be al dente.

Happy Valentine's Day and Bon Appetite!