Julia Child’s Garlic Bechamel Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, plus a pat for serving
• About 30 garlic cloves, peeled
• Potatoes (about 2 lb / 900 g), peeled
• A couple tablespoons flour
• About 1 cup milk
• A splash of cream
• White pepper and salt, to taste
• Chopped parsley, to serve

Directions

• Melt the stick of butter with the garlic cloves over the lowest heat, cooking gently so the butter does not brown, until the garlic is soft.
• Put the potatoes into cold water and cook until soft, then drain and let them steam dry.
• Rice the potatoes.
• Blend the softened garlic and butter until smooth, then add it back to the same pot.
• Whisk in a little flour and cook for a couple of minutes.
• Slowly whisk in the milk along with white pepper and salt, and cook about 5 minutes to make a bechamel.
• Stir the bechamel into the riced potatoes, then loosen with a splash of cream.
• Top with a pat of butter and a little parsley.

The bechamel (roux) is what takes these to the next level. Method transcribed from the video. From Corre Larkin on Instagram.