When I posted this fantastic Roasted Chicken with Lemon, Roasted Garlic and Thyme yesterday, I promised to share my recipe for these Smashed Potatoes with Boursin Garlic and Fine Herbs Cheese today. Have you ever smashed your potatoes? No? Why not? I love them 'THIS' much! Honestly, this recipe was inspired by one of those tasting stations at Costco. I saw the little boxes of Boursin Cheese that I normally would buy for an appetizer and thought that's what we would be tasting but when I took a spoonful it was not the texture I expected.
That's because they had mixed the cheese with the mashed potatoes they sell there too. Smooth, creamy mashed potatoes. Which only made me crave smashed ones even more. I'm not sure I ever realized why I make more mashed potatoes since I started smashing them. I thought it was because they are easier; no peeling and no perfect smoothness required. That experience made a point I didn't even realize. I love them so much more with some texture.
I've seen a lot of recipes also laud Yukon Gold Potatoes for any type of mashing or smashing but I don't agree. Mostly because I love that red potatoes give them not just texture but a visual that I prefer too. If the skins are going to be included, then why not see them? The result is great as long as the potatoes aren't overcooked. Or left to sit for a bit.
I did that last week; that letting them sit business. I had boiled the potatoes and put the pan back on the stove to let them dry a bit and then the doorbell rang. I got distracted and when I came back to finish this recipe, the potatoes were cold. Do you know in the bazillion years that I've been making potatoes that I never knew that letting them get cold and then trying to mash them would mean, for lack of a better word, glue-ish mashed potatoes? They were AWFUL. I did put them into a baking dish and top them with some cheese and rescued them from having to go into the trash but I still wanted the real deal...and anyone ringing the bell would have to be ignored! Not their fault; nope. I can talk for a half hour to a stranger trying to sell me a magazine. It's true.
The second time around was a charm and these are pretty decadent to be sure. Cheese and butter and sour cream. Need I say more? And a trick my mom used that I love sometimes too. A sprinkling of paprika on top. Used judiciously it doesn't really impact flavor but it does add a bit more color and it's what I've done all my life too. Potatoes, macaroni, even eggs...if a bit of color will improve the visual appeal; it's paprika to the rescue.
Smashed Potatoes with Boursin Garlic and Fine Herbs Cheese
Ingredients
- 5 pounds Red potatoes, unpeeled and cut into chunks
- 1 stick butter, cut into tablespoon size pieces (plus additional for dotting finished dish if desired)
- 1 (5.2-ounce) package Boursin Garlic and Fine Herbs cheese; crumbled
- 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Place potatoes into large saucepan and add enough water to cover by about an inch. Cook over medium-low heat until fork tender, about 15-20 minutes.
- Drain potatoes in a colander and then put the potatoes back into the pot they were cooked in. Mash potatoes over low heat until smooth.
- In a microwave safe measuring cup, combine butter and half and half. Warm until butter has melted. Add the butter mixture, sour cream, and boursin cheese to potatoes.
- Continue to mash the potatoes until everything is thoroughly combined and all large chunks are broken up. Stir in salt and pepper and mix until combined.
- Put potatoes into a serving bowl for serving; cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. If necessary, warm in 350º F oven for about 20 minutes before serving.
- When ready to serve, sprinkle with salt, pepper and paprika. Dot with a couple of tablespoons of additional butter if desired.
- Serve warm.
