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Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Shallots

by Dan Silverman

read reviews (13)

Crème fraîche lends a tangy creaminess to this traditional holiday favorite, and the sweetness of the caramelized shallots adds additional depth. Serves eight.

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crème fraîche Yukon gold potatoes shallots more more

2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced shallots
Kosher salt
4 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
8 oz. (1 cup) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup crème fraîche, at room temperature
1/2 cup whole milk, heated; more as needed
Freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Reduce to medium low and add the shallots and 1/2 tsp. salt. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden, 15 to 20 minutes.

Put the potatoes in an 8-quart pot and add enough water to cover by about 2 inches. Add 1/4 cup of salt. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to medium low and simmer, uncovered, until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, return to the pot, and stir gently over low heat to dry them.

Dump the potatoes into a bowl and then pass through a ricer or food mill back into the pot. Whisk in the melted butter, creme fraiche, and milk, adding more milk as needed to reach your desired consistency.

Set aside 3 Tbs. of the shallots and stir the rest into the potatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl, top with the reserved shallots, and serve.

Make Ahead Tips

Caramelize the shallots up to 2 days ahead; store covered in the refrigerator. You can make the potatoes an hour ahead; put them in a heatproof bowl, cover with foil, and set over a saucepan of barely simmering water.

nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 570; Fat (g): 38; Fat Calories (kcal): 340; Saturated Fat (g): 22; Protein (g): 7; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 12; Carbohydrates (g): 53; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 1.5; Sodium (mg): 650; Cholesterol (mg): 85; Fiber (g): 5;

photo: Scott Phillips

From Fine Cooking 95 , pp. 48

September 1, 2008

user reviews

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by MoonValleyCrab, 6/18/2011Hands down, the BEST mashed potatoes I have ever made or had. This recipe was SUPERB and I will make it again. I did not have creme fresh, and based on the cost of it I substituted it with sour cream. I also do not like potato ricers, so I smushed the potatoes in the pot I cooked them in, added the wet ingredients and then used an immersion blender to finish the job. FANTASTIC!

by bellemarie25, 3/13/2011Served with: Maple roasted chicken and maple roasted carrots. The maple was very light on the baby carrots, in fact, my dinner guests mistook the carrots for brandied. But the congruency of flavors on the palate led us to really focus on the more subtle flavors of each dish: the moist chicken, the creamy almost tart potatoes, and the almost crispy carrots. YUM. The part that sent this over the top, at least for half the diners, was the accompanying gravy. The gravy was made using the pan drippings from the chicken, about 1/4 cup of homemade chicken broth, and a small amount of thickener. (I ran out of butter, so the "roux" was ice cold water and flour...bummer!) The gravy was slightly too sweet, so I added a tad of salt and it was a HUGE hit. Thanks fine cooking!

by joannalynn60, 12/28/2010Definitely worth splurging on the calories for a special holiday treat. I did cut back a bit on the salt, but I didn't change anything else. They were fabulous!

by IlonaK, 1/1/2010These were delicious! My guests and kids loved them. Will definitely make again.

by desertbaker, 12/31/2009Good, but not great. Admittedly I only used half the butter and salt. I just could not bring myself to add 1/4 cup of salt to anything, and the butter seemed excessive on top of the creme fraiche and heavy cream.

by AEDK, 11/28/2009Excellent--rave reviews for Thanksgiving dinner. I had to substitute cream cheese for the creme fraiche.

by Spurtle, 11/28/2009Outstanding. I made this recipe about 3 hours ahead of serving for Thanksgiving and kept it hot in our rice cooker on Keep Warm. They were even better when I took them out of the cooker than before I put them in. I made my own creme fraiche by putting a dollop of plain yogurt (live culture) in a cup of heavy cream and left it on the kitchen counter for 12 hours before going back into the fridge.

by Renegde_in_me, 7/9/2009Outstanding...served it with lamb. This would go with anything, not over powering with an amazing taste!

by ruthesveld, 12/30/2008Is the "1/4 Cup of salt" a mistake in the second paragraph? This recipe is a new favorite, however, they came out VERY salty the first time around.

by dianak, 12/2/2008This was the hands-down favorite dish at Thanksgiving dinner this year. Sumptuous, silky, sinful -- a real treat for mashed potato lovers.

by mgssts63, 11/28/2008Made these for Thanksgiving. Very good and everyone liked them. Couldn't find creme fraiche and had to substitute light cream.

by elisebuck, 10/14/2008Wow. This recipe is rich tasting but delicious. I made it with my Thanksgiving dinner and both my sister and her husband said they were the best potatoes they had ever tasted. When I first added the cream and butter to the potatoes, I panicked a bit because they looked almost like a soup, however they quickly thickened up to a creamy smooth consistency and were fantastic. I didn't have a potato ricer so I just mashed them and it seemed to be fine.

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