The Importance of Fat & Some Wonderful Mash

Mmmmm... doesn't that look good? This is before the oven, by the way. Well, looks can be deceiving. Not to say that this meatloaf tasted bad. It was just the opposite. It tasted really good. The flavors came together nicely, but unfortunately, I made a mistake.

Let me back up. I think meatloaf is one of those things that is best done by a mother. My mother makes the best meatloaf, and I guarantee that any of you would say the same thing about your mother's (or grandmother's or stepmother's or even father's) meatloaf. My mother's is always (I'll say it again: always) perfect. It's rich, tender, cheesy, it's got the perfect flavor and big chunks of bread, and all sorts of deliciousness. My meatloaf, first, is not anything like my mother's but then again, I didn't attempt for mine to be like hers. I know it could never be and even if I ask for the recipe, she always says, 'There isn't a recipe, I just know how to make it. Why don't you just watch.' Really helpful, Mom. Anyway, I love her meatloaf and the best part is that every time I go home she makes it for me. My mom is the best! (Love you, Mom!)

Here is where I made my mistake with my meatloaf last night. First, take a look at it after it came out of the oven:

Um, yeah. That's not meatloaf... it's more like hash. It wasn't dry, but here was my mistake. I used pure beef mince... there wasn't enough fat to keep it together. I really thought I had a mixed mince of beef and pork (what I usually use) but I was sorely mistaken. I was really disappointed with the look of the meatloaf, but the flavor was really good! Now, next time I will definitely be sure to read the label properly and when it turns out  the way I want, I'll post the recipe.

Now, onto the shining star of this meal... the mashed potatoes! I made some roasted garlic mashed potatoes and these turned out perfectly (if I do say so myself). They were creamy, rustic, and the flavor of the roasted garlic was fantastic. I love roasted garlic. It's magical, sweet, but not too strong. With these potatoes the garlic gave everything a nice background flavor and it wasn't too overpowering. Just lovely.

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Serves 4 generous side portions

1 small bulb garlic
1 teaspoon olive oil
1lb floury potatoes, scrubbed clean (you can peel them if you like, but I like to keep the skins on for a more rustic look and flavor)
2 Tablespoons butter
1/3 cup milk
plenty of salt and pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 400F (or 200C). Get a large pot of water boiling.

Slice the top of of the garlic bulb off, making sure to slice through all of the cloves. Pour the oil into a baking dish and place the garlic in the oil, cut-side down. Place the dish into the oven and roast for 30-40 minutes.

Slice the potatoes into 1" thick slices and place them into the boiling water. Cook for 20-25 minutes, or until they can easily be pierced by a fork.

When the garlic is finished, pull the dish out of oven. The cloves should be slightly browned and completely soft.

When the garlic is cool enough to touch, use a knife and pop each of the cloves out of the bulb. This is very easy and they will come out without very much coaxing.

Yum! They smell so good!

Throw the cloves of garlic and butter into a bowl. Yes, all of the cloves. Garlic looses a lot of its potency when roasted, so don't worry, the flavor will not be too strong. I use my stand mixer with the paddle attachment to mash the potatoes, so that's the bowl I'm using.

After the potatoes are finished boiling, strain them and place a clean tea towel over the strainer for 5 minutes to absorb the excess steam. After the 5 minutes, transfer the potatoes to the bowl with the garlic and butter and start mashing the potatoes. Add the milk slowly and continue mashing until it is the consistency you desire. Season with plenty of salt and pepper.

I like to keep my potatoes rather chunky and for them to have texture, but you can make them as creamy as you like. These potatoes are so good and so easy to make. With the way these taste, no one would guess they are this simple!

You must try this out, and I hope the main course you have with these turns out a lot better than mine did.

Happy Eating!