A few simple tweaks turns mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower into a dressed-up Thanksgiving side using lemons, garlic and fresh chives.
This recipe is part of our 60-Minute Thanksgiving. Here's the full menu:
Sautéed Kale or Spinach with Dates and Nuts
Pumpkin Pie Spiced Dutch Baby With Pears & Sticky Maple Nuts
- Salt
- 2 ½ - 3 pounds cauliflower (1 large or 2 medium heads), trimmed and cut into even florets OR 2 ½ - 3 pounds Russet potatoes, peeled and each potato cut into 6 pieces
- 6 large cloves garlic, crushed
- ¼-⅓ cup milk for cauliflower OR ½ cup milk for potatoes
- One 5.4-ounce package Boursin cheese
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest and about 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- Fine ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 tablespoons fancy butter, melted
- ¼ cup minced chives
For cauliflower, bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a pot, salt boiling water, add florets and crushed garlic, and cook cauliflower until tender, 7-8 minutes. Drain florets and add to food processor with about ¼ cup milk, Boursin cheese, lemon zest and juice, and process to desired consistency of mash, adding a bit more milk if necessary. Season and adjust salt and pepper to taste, then transfer to warm serving bowl and cover until ready to serve. Make a thin well in mashed cauliflower and add butter, scatter chives over top.
For potatoes, place them in a pot covered in cold water, bring to a boil, salt the water liberally, add the garlic and boil to tender 12-15 minutes. Drain and place in food mill or ricer and pass the potatoes and garlic through. Stir the milk and Boursin into the potatoes, add lemon zest and juice and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and make a shallow well, top with melted butter and scatter with chives.
