Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

• 1 head of garlic
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 pounds potatoes, preferably Yukon Gold or another yellow, waxy potato
• Salt
• 1/3 cup cream
• 3 Tbsp butter

Directions

1. For the garlic, heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pull away the loose papery layers from the outside of the whole head, but keep the head together.
2. With a paring knife, cut away the top 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch of the cloves so each one is open. Spoon the olive oil over the garlic, sprinkle it lightly with salt, and loosely enclose it in aluminum foil.
3. Roast at 400 degrees F for 30 to 40 minutes, until the cloves are soft when you press them and just starting to turn golden. Take the garlic out of the oven and let it cool.
4. As the garlic cooks, peel the potatoes and cut them into 1-inch chunks. Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan, add 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pour in enough cold water to cover them.
5. Bring the saucepan to a boil, then lower the heat so the water simmers. Cook the potatoes until a fork slides in easily, about 15 minutes.
6. Warm the cream with the butter until the butter melts, using either a small pan on the stovetop or a bowl in the microwave.
7. Drain the potatoes, then return the saucepan to the stovetop over low heat. Add the drained potatoes back to the pan.
8. Press the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins into the potatoes, then start mashing with a potato masher or a large fork.
9. Pour in the warm cream and butter, and keep mashing just until the potatoes reach the texture you like. Do not work them too much, or the potatoes will get gummy.
10. Taste, then add more salt if the potatoes need it.