My Family's Favorite Gluten-Free Garlic Mashed Potatoes

I discovered these glorious gluten-free garlic mashed potatoes when I lived in Texas. I was watching a PBS show, Essential Pepin, and the chef, Jacques Pépin, made me immediately want to try his recipe! I was so happy when I discovered he has a website dedicated entirely to his amazing talent as a legendary chef!

Here's the link if you want to watch Jacques' charming little video "Episode 106: Special Spuds". He will show you exactly how to make his delicious garlic mashed potatoes—they're so easy to make! (Begin the video at 2:50.) They are not technically titled "gluten free", but notice there are no gluten-containing ingredients in his recipe.

As I watched Jacques' video again, I realized he doesn't specify the ingredient amounts. Thus, I found his recipe in a few different places online, but I tailored the recipe to how I make them.

Gluten-Free Garlic Mashed Potatoes 

2 pounds potatoes (Peeled or scrubbed, they're delicious both ways.)
4 large peeled garlic cloves
1 and 1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (I probably use more butter than this!)
1 cup milk (I don't use exactly this much milk, I continually test the potatoes until I get the thickness I like.)
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

Peel potatoes, rinse under cold water and cut into large chunks. (I cut potatoes in half and then cut the halves into fourths. If you want to leave the peel on, make sure you scrub them very well and cut out any impurities.) 

Place potatoes in a pot with water to cover; add garlic cloves and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and boil gently until potatoes are tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. 

Drain potatoes and garlic. Add butter to bottom of pot. Return potatoes and garlic to pot on top of butter (you won't be able to see individual cloves anymore). Add milk. Mix well until butter, milk and potatoes are creamy. (Sometimes, I like my potatoes a little chunky.) Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Mix well.

Now, you must know that I totally wing these potatoes every time I make them! Sometimes I make the recipe following the two pounds of potatoes rule, but other times I'll just cut up as many potatoes as we have. Yesterday for Thanksgiving, I made about 16 large Idaho russet potatoes! (My cooking pot is enormous!) When I alter the recipe like I did yesterday, I'll at least double if not triple the amount of garlic cloves. It also depends on how garlicky I want the potatoes to taste. I think I put in at least 12 garlic cloves yesterday!

In terms of the salt and pepper, again, I just season the potatoes until I get the taste I want. I know that drives some people crazy to not know exact amounts, but I love cooking that way. :)

Also, I mash the potatoes with my hand-held Kitchen Aid mixer. I know Jacques says not to over-mix them, but my potatoes have never tasted rubbery in the least. Plus, the potatoes are really well combined and it doesn't make your arm tired!

In addition to using russet potatoes, I've used this recipe with red or yellow potatoes too. I've even combined red and yellow potatoes together. When I use the red/yellow potatoes, I always leave the peel on. This recipe is amazing for any kind of potatoes you want to use. :)

To give you an idea of how much my family loves these gluten-free garlic mashed potatoes, just know that my oldest son ate them for breakfast this morning!

You can't tell it from this picture, but my strainer is huge!

Again, I wish you could understand that this bowl of gluten-free garlic mashed potatoes is enormous!