Pommes Aligot
Iain Bagwell
Did you use a food processor to make everyone’s favorite side dish? Or maybe someone with very strong arms simply overbeat the spuds. In any case, your mashed potatoes resemble Cream of Wheat. Use this tip from Grant Crilly, cofounder of online cooking school ChefSteps: Go with it, and turn them into aligot—a Southern French creation that’s more like fondue. The key is to stir vigorously while melting the cheese (a lot of cheese) completely. Then pasty and gummy will give way to silky and stretchy.
How to Make It
1
Put pasty potatoes in a large pot over medium heat and stir in butter. Stir in hot cream, then sprinkle one-third of cheese evenly over surface. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until completely smooth (this will take several minutes). Stir in another one-third cheese until melted, followed by final third, and stir energetically until smooth and stretchy, like taffy. Stir in salt and pepper to taste.
2
Scrape into a serving bowl and sprinkle with chives. Serve immediately, with more chives on the side.
MAKE AHEAD: Up to 2 days, chilled. Reheat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth and stretchy (do not microwave).
Ingredients
5 cups seemingly unsalvageable pasty mashed potatoes (made from about 3 lbs. potatoes)
6 oz unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup whipping cream, heated until simmering
1 ½ lbs Gruyère or other moist, semihard cheese such as white cheddar or Monterey Jack, finely shredded
Kosher salt
Freshly ground white or black pepper
Minced chives, for sprinkling
Directions
1
Put pasty potatoes in a large pot over medium heat and stir in butter. Stir in hot cream, then sprinkle one-third of cheese evenly over surface. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until completely smooth (this will take several minutes). Stir in another one-third cheese until melted, followed by final third, and stir energetically until smooth and stretchy, like taffy. Stir in salt and pepper to taste.
2
Scrape into a serving bowl and sprinkle with chives. Serve immediately, with more chives on the side.
MAKE AHEAD: Up to 2 days, chilled. Reheat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth and stretchy (do not microwave).
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