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French Mashed Potatoes with Crispy Sage and Shallot Garnish Recipe

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Classic French Mashed Potatoes, or Pommes Purée, feature silky smooth Yukon Gold potatoes whipped with cold unsalted butter and warmed whole milk to create an ultra-creamy texture. This elegant side dish is perfect for special occasions, with optional crispy garlic, sage, and frizzled shallot garnishes adding delightful layers of flavor and texture.

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

  • 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • 1 pound cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • 1/2 cup whole milk

Optional Garnish Ingredients

  • Canola, grapeseed, or peanut oil for frying
  • Handful fresh sage leaves
  • 4 medium garlic cloves, peeled and sliced paper thin
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (for frying shallots)
  • 3 medium shallots, peeled and sliced paper thin

Instructions

  1. Boil The Potatoes: Place the Yukon Gold potatoes in a pot of heavily salted water and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the potatoes are knife-tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool slightly. Meanwhile, bring the whole milk to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, then immediately remove from heat, cover, and set aside.
  2. Prepare the Garnishes: If using garnishes, start by tossing the sliced shallots with flour, separating them into rings. Transfer the shallots to a fine mesh strainer to tap off excess flour. Heat 2 inches of oil in a small pan over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (ready when bubbles form around a wooden spoon).
  3. Fry Garlic and Sage: When oil shimmers, add the sliced garlic and fry until crisp, golden brown, and fragrant. Remove and drain on paper towels. Reduce oil heat slightly and add sage leaves, frying until crisp (about 15 seconds). Remove with tongs and drain on paper towels. Repeat until all sage is fried.
  4. Fry Shallots: Return oil to medium-high heat and add the floured shallots. Fry, stirring, until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain thoroughly on paper towels. Lightly season with salt. These garnishes can be prepared up to one day ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
  5. Mash The Potatoes: Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle but still warm, peel them. Pass the peeled potatoes through a food mill or potato ricer into the cooking pot. Place the pot over low heat and stir frequently until the potatoes become drier and fluffier in texture, about 3 minutes.
  6. Incorporate Butter and Milk: Working in batches, stir in handfuls of the cold butter until melted and incorporated, producing a creamy consistency. Whisk in the warmed milk and season generously with kosher salt to taste.
  7. Serve: Serve the mashed potatoes immediately or keep warm in a slow cooker or bain marie. Top with the crispy garlic, fried sage, and frizzled shallot garnishes just before serving.

Notes

  • Use Yukon Gold potatoes for their naturally creamy texture and buttery flavor.
  • Cold butter is key to achieving the classic silky texture in French mashed potatoes.
  • Warming the milk before adding helps to maintain the smoothness of the potatoes.
  • The optional garnishes add an elegant crunch and flavor contrast but can be omitted for a simpler dish.
  • Garnishes can be made up to one day in advance and stored at room temperature in airtight containers.
  • Be careful not to overwork the potatoes to avoid a gluey texture.
  • If you don’t have a food mill or ricer, use a potato masher but keep mashing gentle.

Find it online: https://miracooking.com/french-mashed-potatoes-with-crispy-sage-and-shallot-garnish-recipe/