Variations
Crème fraîche stirred in at the end — a couple tablespoons — adds a slight tang that I find very nice when serving alongside something rich like short ribs or beef bourguignon. It’s not traditional but it works.
Roasted garlic instead of raw changes the character entirely. Raw garlic in the cream is sharp and clean; roasted garlic is sweet and mellow and almost caramel-like. Worth doing if you have the time. I usually don’t, but when I do the potatoes go in a completely different direction — more complex, more savory in a way that’s hard to describe.
Grated Gruyère stirred in at the end is not subtle and is not trying to be. It makes the potatoes very rich, almost like a gratin in mashed form. A small portion goes a long way. This is a version worth making when you want to do something slightly different — just be prepared for it to become the version everyone requests.
Leftovers and reheating
These reheat better than standard mashed potatoes. Cover and refrigerate for up to two days. When you’re ready to reheat, put them in a pot with a small splash of cream over medium-low heat and stir steadily until they warm through. Don’t rush it with high heat or they’ll scorch on the bottom before the middle is warm.
The butter tends to separate a little after refrigerating, which looks alarming when you open the container but resolves itself with the stirring. You may want to add a small pat of fresh butter at the end just to finish them.
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