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FULL DISCLOSURE: If you don’t looooove basil, don’t make this! It has upwards of 2 cups of fresh basil and YOU WILL TASTE IT.
This recipe is from my queen, Ina aka the Barefoot Contessa aka the Hamptons Head Honcho. I love basil, I love potatoes, and I love extra-creamy puréed potatoes. This side dish recipe hits all those notes. These will be very loose, but as potatoes sit and cool, they absorb liquid and firm up. If you really just can’t with puréed potatoes, you can definitely cut back on the liquid a bit.
These make a great potato side to just about anything, but especially to soak up the sauce from this Creamy Lemon Chicken with Spinach and Artichokes. Have you ever met a potato you didn’t like? 
Potato-Basil Purée
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings 1x
Description
Ultra-creamy, herby puréed potatoes full of fresh basil flavor! A great potato side dish to just about anything.
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
- 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and halved or quartered if large
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup (3 ounces) ground Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons melted butter, for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare an ice bath. Add the basil leaves to the boiling water and cook for 15 seconds (no more!), until bright green. Remove the basil and transfer to the ice bath. Set aside.
- Bring the water back to a boil if necessary; add the potatoes and cook for 18 to 25 minutes, depending on the size. The potatoes should be very tender when pierced with a fork. Drain well.
- In a small saucepan, combine the cream, milk and 3 ounces Parmesan cheese and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently to ensure the Parmesan doesn’t scorch. Place the basil in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the hot cream mixture and process until smooth (there may be a few fine chunks of basil left.)
- Run the cooked potatoes through a food mill (or use a handheld mixer) to mash the potatoes. Return to the pot over medium-low heat and slowly add the hot basil cream, stirring to mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper. When hot, transfer to a serving bowl, place a couple pats of butter on top and sprinkle with more ground Parmesan.
Notes
Inspiration: Potato-Basil Purée on foodnetwork.com
- Category: Vegetable Sides
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