Best Make Ahead Garlic Potato Soupcooks Illustrated Recipes

MAKE AHEAD GARLIC MASHED POTATOES

Steps:

• Place potatoes and garlic in medium saucepan with enough (salted if desired) water to cover.
• Cover and heat to boiling, reduce heat and simmer until tender (about 20 minutes).
• Drain and shake potatoes to dry over low heat.
• Mash potatoes and garlic in pan until lump free (my personal preference is to use a potato ricer).
• Heat rest of ingredients stirring over low heat until butter melts.
• Reserve 1/4 C of mixture.
• Add rest of milk mix in small amounts stirring after each addition until light and fluffy (amount needed depends on type of potato used).
• Grease a 2 quart casserole and spoon in potatoes.
• Cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours.
• Heat oven to 350.
• Pour reserved milk mixture over potatoes and bake uncovered 40-45 minutes or until hot.
• Stir before serving.

THE BEST MAKE-AHEAD MASHED POTATOES

Steps:

• Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 450 degrees.
• Microwave the potatoes on high for 16 minutes, turning them over once.
• Transfer potatoes to oven and place directly on the oven rack. Bake about 30 minutes, turning once, or until a skewer glides easily through the flesh.
• Remove from from oven and cut each potato in half lengthwise.
• Using an oven mitt or folded kitchen towel to hold the hot potatoes, scrape out the flesh into a large microwave-safe bowl.
• Use a fork, masher, or spatula, break the potato flesh into small pieces.
• Transfer half of the potatoes to a mixer bowl and beat on high speed with the paddle attachment until smooth, about 30 seconds. (I used a hand mixer with the standard beaters and it worked fine but definitely use a stand mixer if you have it.)
• Gradually add the rest of the potatoes to incorporate until no lumps remain, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Remove bowl from mixer and gently fold in 2 cups of the cream followed by the butter and 2 tsp of salt. (This will look way too wet at first but keep folding and it will all come together without being soupy).
• Fold in up to 1/2 cup more cream as needed to reach desired consistency.
• Once desired consistency is reached, fold in an additional 1/2 cup cream. The potatoes will be quite loose at this point but this is neccesary to prevent them drying out overnight. You may skip adding the additional cream if you want to serve the potatoes immediately.
• Add any additional seasonings you desire (I like adding parmesan and roasted garlic).
• TO STORE: Transfer the potatoes back to the large microwave-safe bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 2 days.
• TO SERVE: Poke lots of holes in the plastic wrap and microwave at 75% power until the potatoes are hot, about 14 minutes, stirring gently halfway through.

GARLIC POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the broth, garlic,potatoes, carrots, onion, celery and bacon in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Stir the milk, potato flakes and parsley in the saucepan. Cook until the mixture is hot and bubbling, stirring occasionally.

ROASTED GARLIC POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• Remove papery outer skin from garlic (do not peel or separate cloves); cut top off bulb. Melt 1-1/2 teaspoons butter; drizzle over garlic. Wrap in heavy-duty foil. Place in a 9-in. round baking pan; set aside., Place potatoes and onions in a single layer in an ungreased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Drizzle with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. , Bake garlic and potato mixture at 400° for 35-40 minutes or until tender, stirring vegetables once. Cool slightly., In a blender, combine 2 cups broth and half of the vegetable mixture; cover and process until blended. Repeat with 2 cups broth and remaining vegetable mixture; set aside., In a large saucepan, melt remaining butter. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually add remaining broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Squeeze softened garlic into pan. Stir in milk and pureed vegetables; heat through.

MAKE-AHEAD GARLIC-POTATO SOUP(COOK'S ILLUSTRATED)

Steps:

• TO MAKE SOUP BASE: Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium heat. When foaming subsides, add leeks and cook until soft (do not brown), 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add garlic heads, 6 cups broth, bay leaves, and 3/4 teaspoon salt; partially cover pot and bring to simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until garlic is very tender when pierced with tip of knife, 30 to 40 minutes. Add potatoes, partially cover pot, and bring mixture to simmer over medium-high heat. Take pot off heat and let rest 10 minutes. Separate soup into 2 storage containers and freeze up to 1 month.
• TO REHEAT AND SERVE: Run hot water over surface of storage containers to help release frozen blocks of soup. Add soup and 1 cup broth to large Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until soup is hot and potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Remove garlic heads; using tongs or paper towels, squeeze garlic heads at root end until cloves slip out of their skins. Using fork, mash garlic to smooth paste in bowl.
• 3. Stir cream, thyme, and half of mashed garlic into soup; heat soup until hot, about 2 minutes. Taste soup; add remaining garlic paste if desired. Using immersion blender, process soup until creamy, with some potato chunks remaining. Alternatively, transfer 1 1/2 cups potatoes and 1 cup broth to blender or food processor and process until smooth. (Process more potatoes for thicker consistency.) Return puree to pot and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper and serve, sprinkling each portion with chives and garlic chips.
• For Garlic Chips: Heat oil and garlic in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, turning frequently, until light golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer garlic to plate lined with paper towels; discard oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt.