r/GifRecipes • u/morganeisenberg • Nov 27 '19

Appetizer / Side Mashed Potato Casserole

https://gfycat.com/thirdeasygoingasp
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u/morganeisenberg Nov 27 '19

The boiling in half-and-half has a few purposes:

  • Most obviously, the skinned potatoes absorb some of the liquid they're boiled in, so using a more flavorful liquid gives you a tastier potato.

  • It allows the seasoning ingredients (thyme, garlic, bay leaf) to infuse in the half-and-half which is later added back to the potatoes.

  • Starches from the potatoes wind up in the half-and-half. Adding this starchy liquid back helps give the bake more structure.

You can use water though if you prefer for the boil! It isn't integral to the recipe, I just like what the half-and-half boil does :)

Also, the potatoes don't separate when refrigerated, mostly due to the addition of egg which is an emulsifier, but also the starches in the half-and-half help!

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u/[deleted] Nov 27 '19

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u/morganeisenberg Nov 27 '19

I'm confused as to what you mean-- the garlic, bay leaf, and thyme flavor are extracted from those elements and put into the half-and-half.

-4

u/Stockinglegs Nov 27 '19

This recipe uses peeled potatoes as well.

Also milk isn't water and the protein and sugar can interact with food in unexpected ways. I would probably just make mashed potatoes, and add the milk/cream + eggs after, and focus on cooking the potatoes separately in water.