I hope you are going to the Farmer’s market this weekend! I was there last week, and there were lovely large bunches of fresh basil. Buy a bunch! Get some potatoes, too—Yukon Golds or white boiling potatoes would be good. Then try this recipe for Basil Mashed Potatoes! Thank you, Ina!  I found this recipe in The Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten‘s new cookbook, How Easy is That?

This recipe is for a savory mashed potato side dish—no gravy needed! This is a versatile side dish that will pair nicely with any number of main dishes. Serve it with your next meatloaf, roast chicken, pork chop, salmon fillet… You get the picture 🙂

Full disclosure: making mashed potatoes can really mess up a kitchen and dirty a lot of dishes! And Basil Mashed Potatoes dirties one or two more pots than regular mashed potatoes, but you don’t even have to think about making gravy…!

Basil Mashed Potatoes

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cup fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
• 2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes or white boiling potatoes, peeled and cut in quarters
• 1 cup half-and-half
• ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
• ¼ to 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper (add to taste)

DIRECTIONS

1. Fill a small bowl with ice water and set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. 
3. Add the basil leaves to the boiling water and cook for exactly 15 seconds—remove the basil from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and immediately plunge into the ice water. 
4. Drain the basil and set aside.
5. Add the peeled and quartered potatoes to the same pot of boiling, salted water, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  Drain well.
6. In a small pan over medium high heat, bring the half-and-half and Parmesan cheese to a simmer.
7. Place the drained basil in a food processor fitted with a metal blade.  Puree the basil, then slowly add the hot half-and-half and Parmesan mixture and process until smooth.
8. Mash the drained potatoes, then slowly add the hot basil cream and beat until smooth. TASTE.  Add salt and pepper as needed.
9. Place mashed potatoes in serving bowl and sprinkle with a little extra grated Parmesan cheese, and serve hot.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen today!  So glad Ina was here with me, too!!