My Top Five Julia Child Dishes! {Happy Birthday, Julia!}

 

We would hardly be where we are in the food community without Julia Child. She brought life to the world of cooking and made it what it is today. August 15th is Julia's birthday and it just feels right to share my most favorite Julia Child recipes with you!

Biftek Hache a La Lyonnaise/Ground Beef Burgers with Onions and Herbs If you make one Julia Child recipe, make this one! Not only is it one of her easiest recipes, but it is surprisingly delicious. Julia says this is how the French eat burgers - without the bun! The burger patties get dredged in flour which creates a crispy crust and the sauce is so flavorful. These burgers are rich, flavorful, and buttery delicious. In her book, Julia has various ways to change up the sauce and I highly suggest them all. We have these on regular rotation!

Supremes De Volaille A L'Ecossaise/Chicken Breasts with Diced Aromatic Vegetables and Cream I think the picture says it all. This is a stunning chicken dish and one that is so intoxicating as it cooks. The aroma and flavor of the onions, celery, and carrots in this dish are reminiscent of a chicken pot pie. It is so aromatic and comforting. It's one of those dishes that everyone would love!

Julia's Roast Chicken Okay, over the years I've made a lot of roast chicken: Tyler Florence's, Giada's, Yotam Ottolenghi's, and Ina Garten's. Trust me when I say that Julia Child's is THE BEST. Is it easy? No. Is it time consuming? Yes. Julia's method involves lots of butter and rotating and basting the chicken with butter on 5-10-15 minute intervals but it is oh so worth it! If you're looking to try a new Roast Chicken recipe this fall, please try this one! You won't be sorry. The end result is so buttery and delicious - a step above all the rest!

Supremes De Volaille Aux Champignons/Chicken Breasts with Mushroom and Cream We loved the first recipe with chicken breasts and aromatic veggies so much we tried Julia's Chicken Breasts with Mushrooms and Cream and it was equally delicious, especially for those who absolutely love mushrooms! You simply can't go wrong with any of Julia's variations on chicken breasts!

Jacques & Julia's Garlic Mashed Potatoes If you're looking for a side dish for any of these dishes, look no further than Jacques & Julia's Garlic Mashed Potatoes. You can't go wrong here, especially when you've got potatoes, butter, cream, and 10-15 cloves of garlic! This is an amazing recipes that is a people pleaser each and every single time!

My Top Five Dishes of 2022!

 It's time for my favorite post of the year...My Top Five Dishes of 2022! 

 
Here at Stirring the Pot, it was the year of Julia Child! I have two rather mind-blowing dishes of Julia's to start off our countdown.

Here are my TOP FIVE FAVORITES OF 2022, starting with Number One! Please click on the recipe title to be redirected to the original post and recipe!

Hitting the list at NUMBER ONE is Julia Child's Supremes de Volaille a l'Ecossaise, otherwise known as Chicken Breasts with Diced Aromatic Vegetables and Cream. I mean holy cow folks, or should I say holy chicken...this dish will knock your socks off. The chicken is so tender and that sauce....well, it was so velvety and flavorful...it kind of reminds me of the flavors in a chicken pot pie. It's visually stunning, and so comforting and delicious.

Julia's Biftek Hache a la Lyonnaise or rather her Ground Beef Burgers with Onions and Herbs, is not only crazy delicious...but economical and rather easy. Listen, DO NOT sleep on this dish. It is simply not just a beef burger with sauce. It's buttery and flavorful from the addition of butter and herbs and the burgers get dunked in flour before being fried so they form a little crust for texture. It looks simple, but I can assure you that it's delectable. This is a very close SECOND to Julia's chicken recipe above, simply depends on the day!

I also cooked a lot with Ina Garten this year and her newest cookbook, Go-To Dinners, is full of gems. I've made quite a few recipes from her new book and by far the best was her Ravioli En Brodo. This is a light brothy soup with complex flavors. We were blown away by the flavors and really enjoyed the addition of fennel. It's hard to beat fluffy pillowy ravioli in a flavorful broth. So comforting and delicious!

 You might think I've lost my mind, but WOW, Ina's Parmesan Chipotle Popcorn was something else! Cheesy, spicy, buttery, crunchy, and hot...it is ONE OF THE BEST SNACKS ever! I just loved it! Make it for yourself. Make it for a get together. Make it for your family. You can't go wrong!

Coming in at Number Five is dessert!  It was really tough to chose a favorite dessert for this roundup. I had three that I was considering: Dorie Greenspan's Salted Chocolate Hot Fudge Sundaes, Ina Garten's Milk Chocolate Oreo Ice Cream, and this one, Tessa Kiros' Sipi's Strawberry Cake. I chose Sipi's Strawberry Cake because it was made with local and seasonal strawberries from the farmer's market and they were the most delicious strawberries I've had in years. Not to mention, the cake was a stunner and what's not to love about fresh berries and cream? 

Bonus: Tessa's Hasselback Potatoes deserve a big Honorable Mention for two reasons: first, they are a new family favorite. Everyone loves the golden brown crunch on the bottom of the potato, the crispy slices on the top of the potato, and also the rather fluffy interior. They are indeed THE NEW BAKED POTATO in my house! And also, the post I wrote for Tessa's Hasselback Potatoes was pretty much my favorite to write all year. This recipe should come with a warning: Delicious, but quite the hassle!

 

 

 

HAVE A DELICIOUS NEW YEAR!!

Julia's Supremes de Volaille aux Champignons {Chicken Breasts with Mushrooms and Cream}

 Here I am with yet another Julia Child recipe. In fact, it is the very same chicken recipe, just a different twist. Julia has several variations of Chicken Breasts with Cream sauces and I literally want to try them all.

Now, hear me when I say, I enjoyed last week's chicken dish so much that I decided I would try Julia's Supremes de Volaille aux Champignons, which is the French way of saying Chicken Breasts with Mushrooms and Cream.

I DO NOT LIKE MUSHROOMS. I haven't liked them for 46 years, but I keep trying because I want to like them. 

My favorite cook on Youtube, Anti-Chef, made Julia's chicken with mushroom cream and I thought if anyone can make me like mushrooms it's Julia.

Guess what? The dish turned out perfectly, but I still don't like mushrooms. I tried. Oh, how I've tried. My husband has tried. We did manage to eat a few mushrooms slices, but it's just a texture thing. We love the flavor. We just don't love mushrooms.

Regardless, don't let me sway you at all. If you're a mushroom lover then you should definitely try this version of Julia's Chicken Breasts with Cream. The sauce is crazy good. Like fine dining good.

Julia's recipes can be somewhat fussy and take time to put together, but these chicken breasts recipes with cream are super easy and fast, on the table in less than 30 minutes.

I highly recommend both of the recipes~!

Supremes de Volaille aux Champignons

Adapted from Mastering The Art of French Cooking

by Julia Child

Serves 4

For The Chicken

4 supremes (boned breasts from two fryers)*

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

salt and pepper, to taste

heavy, covered, fireproof casserole about 10" in diameter

1 round of waxed paper 10 " in diameter and buttered on one side 

For The Sauce

1/4 cup white or brown stock or canned beef bouillon

1/4 cup port, Maderia, or dry white vermouth

1 cup whipping cream

salt and pepper

lemon juice, as needed

2 tablespoons fresh minced parsley

5 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon minced shallot or green onion

1/4 pound diced or sliced fresh mushrooms

salt, to taste

Notes: Julia's supremes must be very small if they only take 6 minutes to cook completely in the oven. I have found that I need to cut my chicken breasts in half lengthwise and cook them on one side for 6 minutes and then maybe 4-5 minutes on the other side. Each piece of chicken will cook differently. Best to check often.

Preheat the oven to 400F

Start with the Mushrooms: Heat the butter in the casserole over moderate heat until foaming. Stir in the minced shallots or green onion and saute a moment without browning. Then stir in the mushrooms and saute lightly for a minute or two without browning. Sprinkle with salt.

Time For the Chicken: Rub the supremes with drops of lemon juice and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Quickly roll the supremes in the mushrooms and butter, lay the buttered paper over them, cover casserole and place in hot oven. After 6 minutes*, press top of supremes with your finger. If still soft, return to oven for a moment or two. When the meat is springy to the touch it is done. Remove the supremes to a warm platter and cover while making the sauce (2 to 3 minutes).

For the Mushroom Sauce: Pour the stock, bouillon, or wine into the pan with the mushrooms and the cooking butter and boil down quickly over high heat until liquid is syrupy. Stir in the cream and boil down again over high heat until cream has thickened slightly. Off heat, taste carefully for seasoning, and add drops of lemon juice to taste. Pour the sauce over the supremes, sprinkle with parsley, and serve at once.

Julia Child's Supremes de Volaille a l'Ecossaise {Chicken Breasts with Diced Aromatic Vegetables and Cream}

 I am completely enamored with Julia Child's recipes right now. I've really only made about 4 of her recipes, but they have all been mouthwateringly delicious. The best of the best.

Julia has a variety of chicken breast recipes with various sauces in her book. I had a very hard time deciding among them, but I finally settled on this version with the aromatic veggies and cream. We are having a Garden Party over at I Heart Cooking Clubs and the carrots, onions, and celery in the sauce remind me of garden-style cream cheese. It's a stretch, I know. I was really looking for any reason to make this recipe.

You begin by sauteing carrots, onions, and celery in butter until tender; then drizzle some lemon juice, salt, and pepper on the chicken breast before adding them to the pan with the veggies and the butter; top them with buttered parchment, and a lid, and bake in the oven until done (depends on size of breast). 

Then comes the good part. The sauce, which is really almost like a pot pie sauce, is very comforting and flavorful.

The chicken goes onto a warm plate and you add stock and either Maderia, or white vermouth, and whisk until it becomes syrupy, before adding the cream and reducing until thickened and saucy. Add the lemon juice and parsley and pour over the chicken.

This dish is OUTSTANDING! It is just seriously SO DANG GOOD. Chef's kiss to Julia Child because her recipes have been knocking it out of the park lately.

Do yourself a favor and make this dish sometime! 

 Supremes de Volaille a l'Ecossaise

{Chicken Breasts with Diced Aromatic Vegetables and Cream}

Adapted from Mastering The Art of French Cooking

by Julia Child

Serves 4

For the Veggies:

1 medium carrot, cut into 1/16" cubes

1 to 2 tender celery stalks, cut into 1/16" cubes

1 medium white onion, cut into 1/16" cubes

1/8 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons butter

For the Supremes:

4 supremes (chicken breast)

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

big pinch white pepper

a heavy, covered, fireproof casserole about 10" diameter

a round of waxed paper 10" in diameter and buttered on one side

4 tablespoons butter

For The Sauce:

1/4 cup white or brown stock or canned beef bouillon

1/4 cup port, Madeira, or dry white vermouth 

1 cup whipping cream

salt and pepper

lemon juice, as needed

2 tablespoons minced parsley

For the veggies: Cook the diced vegetables slowly with the salt and butter for about 10 minutes in the covered casserole until tender, but not browned.

For the supremes: Preheat the oven to 400F. Rub the supremes with drops of lemon juice and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Quickly roll the supremes in the butter with the aromatic veggies, laying the buttered paper over them, cover casserole and place in hot oven.

After 6 minutes, press top of supremes with your finger. If still soft, return to oven for a moment or two. When the meat is springy to the touch it is done. remove the supremes to a warm platter and cover while making the sauce (2 to 3 minutes).

For the sauce: Pour the stock or bouillon and wine into the casserole with the cooking butter and boil down quickly over high heat until liquid is syrupy. Stir in the cream and boil down again over high heat until cream has thickened slightly. Off heat, taste carefully for seasoning, and add drops of lemon juice to taste. Pour the sauce over the supremes, sprinkle with parsley, and serve at once. 

Garden Party @ IHCC

Julia Child's Biftek Haché à la Lyonnaise {Ground Beef Burgers with Onions and Herbs}

My family loves what I like to call The Blue Plate Special. When I refer to The Blue Plate Special, I pretty much mean any old-fashioned dish you might find at a local diner. It usually consists of some type of meat with a gravy or sauce, some kind of potato, and a veggie. 

Just good old-fashioned comfort food.

I found this recipe on one of my favorite Youtube channels, Anti-Chef. The fella who runs the channel is named Jamie and he does a segment called Jamie and Julia that is well worth watching. Sometimes it is laugh out loud hilarious, sometimes I learn a thing or two, and other times it is downright delicious and drool-worthy.

A little while ago Jamie featured Julia's Hamburger with Onions and Herbs, aka Biftek Hache a la Lyonnaise and it really got my attention. The ingredients are always something I have on hand, the recipe was very approachable, and it looked and sounded delicious. I knew I had to make it soon.

Turns out Jamie found and shared a recipe that will grow to be one of my family's favorites!

Per Julia, the French do eat hamburgers, but not on a bun. Turns out they mix butter, salt, pepper, thyme, and sauteed onions into the beef before shaping them into patties, coating the patties in flour on both sides (giving them an amazing crust), sauteing them, then serving them with a beefy buttery rich and flavorful sauce poured over top.

I'm gonna tell you right now...this is an absolutely amazing dish! The burgers are buttery and rich and full of flavor, they develop a little bit of a crust from being dredged in the flour, and the beefy and buttery sauce poured over top just takes it to a whole new level. I'm gonna tell ya...you take a bite and it will blow your mind because you'd never expect this to be so wonderfully delicious.

My husband was skeptical, especially when he discovered there was no bun. He took one bite and he was like "Holy cow...this is delicious. I wasn't expecting this to be so flavorful and tender and rich."

This really is a stunningly delicious and flavorful dish that pairs well with any type of potato and veggie. I'd also like to highlight that it is extremely economical, which I feel is very important right now.

This is hands down one of my favorite dishes that I've shared this year and it will be put into my regular rotation. My entire family absolutely loved it and I sent the recipe to all of my friends. I cannot say enough good things about it.

 

If you have time, take a few minutes to watch Jamie make the burgers in the video above. I think you'll find that he is most enjoyable to watch; and, you might also be just as tempted as I was to make this dish!

Biftek Haché à la Lyonnaise 

{Ground Beef Hamburgers with Onions and Herbs}

Adapted from Mastering The Art of French Cooking

by Julia Child

Serves 6

For The Hamburgers

1/4 cup finely minced yellow onions

2 tablespoons butter

1-1/2 pounds lean, ground beef

2 tablespoons softened butter, ground beef suet, beef marrow, or fresh pork fat

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon thyme

1 egg

1/2 cup flour spread on a plate

1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil, or sufficient to film the bottom of the skillet

1 or 2 heavy skillets just large enough to hold the patties easily in one layer

a warm serving platter

For The Sauce

1/2 cup beef stock, beef bouillon, dry white wine, or water or red wine*

2-3 tablespoons softened butter

Cook the onions slowly in the butter for about 10 minutes until very tender but not browned. Place in a mixing bowl. Add the beef, butter or fat, seasonings, and egg to the onions in the mixing bowl and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon to blend thoroughly. Correct seasoning. Form into patties 3/4 inch thick. Cover with waxed paper and refrigerate until ready to use. Just before sauteing, roll the patties lightly in the flour. Shake off excess flour.

Place the butter and the oil in the skillet and set over moderately high heat. When you see the butter foam begin to subside, indicating it is hot enough to sear the meat, saute the patties for 2 to 3 minutes or more on each side, depending on whether you like your hamburgers rare, medium, or well-done.

Arrange the hamburgers on the serving platter and keep warm for a moment while finishing the sauce.

Pour the fat out of the skillet. Add the liquid and boil it down rapidly, scraping up the coagulated pan juices, until it has reduced almost to a syrup. Off heat, swirl the butter by half-tablespoons into the sauce until it is absorbed. Pour the sauce over the hamburgers and serve. 

Family Favorites @ IHCC

Julia Child's Roast Chicken {The Very Best Roast Chicken Ever}!

Way back in the day, before I was born, my Mom and my Grandma used to love watching episodes of Julia Child's The French Chef. They lovingly called Julia, 'Julia Chicken', because Julia was always prancing about with chickens on her show. 

I'm not sure if my Mom or Grandma ever cooked a Julia Chicken recipe. If I had to guess, I'd say probably not. My mom wasn't ever one for recipes. She was too much of a rebel, always doing her own thing in the kitchen, and in life. Plus, I never found any Julia cookbooks amongst their belongings.

Years ago, my Dad bought me Julia's Mastering The Art Of French Cooking, the 50th Anniversary Edition, for Christmas. It sat on my bookshelves, as part of my collection for years, until now.

I know everyone thinks of the classic Beef Bourguignon when they think of Julia. I can't help but think of Julia Chicken, and my Mom and Grandma.

This is our first week cooking the recipes of Julia Child, and I could hardly think of a recipe more fitting than Julia's Roast Chicken. NOW, THIS IS NOT YOUR ORDINARY RECIPE FOR ROAST CHICKEN! Oh no, ma'am. What sets Julia's recipe apart from the many other roast chicken recipes is the simple fact that Julia's chicken gets flipped and basted at 5, 10, 15-minute intervals, the entire time it cooks, making for a wonderfully buttery-flavored bird that is more reminiscent of a rotisserie chicken than anything else.  

The aroma of this chicken cooking is simply intoxicating! A lovely, buttery, juicy roast chicken like no other. I know my Mom and Grandma would approve, and I sure wish they could've tasted it, because they probably would've called her 'Julia, the Queen of Chicken.' I'm telling you folks, prior to this I was real fond of Ina Garten's Engagement Roast Chicken (and you should make that one too), but I dare say that Julia's recipe is better! Julia Child's recipe for Roast Chicken is THE recipe for Roast Chicken! Yes, it's finicky, and yes, you will be setting alarms and flipping your chicken back and forth for a while, but PLEASE DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND MAKE IT! It is simply seductive!

Make sure to buy a high-quality chicken. I prefer organic and pasture-raised! It makes a difference. Trust me!

Julia's Roast Chicken {Poulet Roti}

Adapted from Mastering The Art of French Cooking

by Julia Child

Serves 4

A 3-pound chicken

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons softened butter

a shallow roasting pan just large enough to hold the chicken easily

a small sliced carrot and onion

 a small saucepan

 2 tablespoons melted butter 

1 tablespoon good oil

a basting brush

salt, to season the chicken

1/2 tablespoon minced shall or green onion

1 cup brown chicken stock or chicken broth

salt and pepper

1 - 2 tablespoons butter

Note: A 3-pound chicken will cook for approximately 1 hour and 10 to 20 minutes. My suggestion is to start a timer, controlling the total cook time, while you set your oven to 5, 10, 15-minute intervals for turning the chicken. 

My chicken was 3.74 pounds and it cooked in about an hour and 20 minutes. However, I forgot to turn the oven temp down from 425 F to 350 F at the halfway mark so it probably would've cooked longer at 350F. 

It's worth noting that you want to make sure to find a roasting pan (I used my 10" cast iron skillet) that is just a touch bigger than the chicken. You want your roasting pan to "hug" the chicken. You'll also want to cut your veggies a decent size as to prevent burning. I'll also tell you that this is where you'll want to buy a quality bird, preferably organic and pasture-raised.  It makes a difference. Trust me! Enjoy! This is THE recipe!

 Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Sprinkle the inside of the chicken with the salt, and smear in half the butter. Truss the chicken. Dry it thoroughly, and rub the skin with the rest of the butter.

Place the chicken breast up in the roasting pan. Strew the vegetables around it, and set it on a rack in the middle of the preheated oven.  Allow the chicken to brown lightly for 15 minutes, turning it on the left side after 5 minutes, on the right side for the last 5 minutes, and basting it with the butter and oil after each turn. Baste rapidly, so the oven does not cool off. Reduce oven to 350 degrees. Leave the chicken on its side, and baste every 8 to 10 minutes, using the fat in the roasting pan when the butter and oil are exhausted. Regulate oven heat so the chicken is making cooking noises, but fat is not burning.

Halfway through the estimated roasting time, salt the chicken and turn it on its other side. Continue

basting.

Fifteen minutes before the end of estimated roasting time, salt again and turn the chicken breast up. Continue basting.

Indications that the chicken is almost done are: a sudden rain of sputters in the oven, swelling of the breast and slight puff of the skin, the drumstick is tender when pressed and can be moved in its socket. To check further, prick the thickest part of the drumstick with a fork. Its juices should run clear yellow. As a final check, lift the chicken and drain the juices from its vent. If the last drops are clear yellow, the chicken is definitely done. If not, roast another 5 minutes, and test again.

When done, discard trussing strings and set the chicken on a hot platter. It should sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before being carved, so its juices will retreat back into the tissues. 

Remove all but two tablespoons of fat from the pan. Stir in the minced shallot or onion and cook slowly for 1 minute. Add the stock and boil rapidly over high heat, scraping up coagulated roasting juices with a wooden spoon and letting the liquid reduce to about 1/2 cup. Season with salt and pepper. Off heat and just before serving, swirl in the enrichment butter by bits until it has been absorbed. Pour a spoonful of the sauce over the chicken, and send the rest to the table in a sauceboat.

**Roast chicken can wait for 20 to 30 minutes in the turned-off hot oven, its door ajar. It cannot be reheated or it loses it's fresh and juicy quality.

IHCC: Bon Appetit, Julia!

HAPPY EASTER 2020!

Jacques and Julia's Garlic Mashed Potatoes {Made with Fresh Homemade Garlic Powder}

Last Saturday I went to my local Farmer's Market and found the coolest thing, Fresh Homemade Garlic Powder! I picked up the tiny bag and right away I was struck by the most amazing aroma. I have to tell you, smelling this fresh garlic powder was mind-blowing and life-changing for me as a cook. I wish you could smell how aromatic it was, the very essence of garlic with buttery notes. I simply could not stop smelling it. It was intoxicating!

I never thought to question the garlic powder we buy in stores, but after smelling this fresh homemade garlic powder, I could never go back. Please trust me and try sourcing some for yourself, or search online, and find a recipe to make your own. It's so very worth it and would make great gifts for friends and family.

Needless to say, we've been eating everything garlic all week long. I've been sprinkling that garlic powder on everything! So, when I bought a roast on sale and was looking for a potato recipe, Jacques and Julia's Garlic Mashed Potatoes were just the thing!

Instead of peeling 10-15 cloves of garlic, I looked up guidelines for using my garlic powder and found that you can substitute 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder for each clove of garlic, so I did just that! Now, this is where I'll issue a disclaimer: this homemade garlic powder is very fresh and I felt confident using it in place of fresh garlic. I would not use regular storebought garlic powder in place of fresh garlic.

I loved how easy these mashed potatoes came together with the ease of the homemade garlic powder. It was so much faster than peeling all those cloves and mashing them into the potatoes. However, this recipe is worth making either way. Everyone loved these! The garlic was just the right amount and not overpowering at all. This is a delicious recipe that is perfect comfort food! Jacques and Julia for the win!

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Adapted from Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home

by Julia Child and Jacques Pepin

Serves 6-8

2-3 pounds Yukon potatoes (I prefer Russet) 

salt and pepper

milk (approx 2/3 cup)

4 tablespoons salted butter, plus more for garnishing

2/3 to 1 cup heavy whipping cream 

10-15 cloves garlic (*or fresh homemade garlic powder)

*Note: I had some fresh homemade garlic powder from my farmer's market that is out of this world delicious, so I used that in place of fresh garlic. You can use 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder in place of each garlic clove.

Peel the garlic and place in a small saucepan. Next, pour in the heavy whipping cream and milk until the garlic is covered (I used my fresh homemade garlic powder, 1 cup heavy whipping cream, and 2/3 cups milk). Heat over low heat, watching periodically. If you're using fresh garlic, you'll want the garlic to become so soft it "mushes" when you touch it with a spatula. This process takes at least 20-30 minutes and only gets better the longer you wait. Of course, I wasn't using fresh garlic so I allowed my garlic powder, cream, and milk to cook over low heat for about 30 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld. 

Add your potatoes to a large pot, cover with cold water, and add a generous amount of salt to the water. Let the potatoes boil until they are soft and can be pierced with a fork.

Now it's time to marry all the ingredients together.  Drain the potatoes and put them back in the pot on the stove to cook off the remaining moisture. At this point, I always pass my potatoes through a food mill or a potato ricer because that is what yields that very creamiest mashed potatoes. You can do that, or mash them with a potato masher. If you've used fresh garlic cloves make sure you press the garlic through a mesh strainer or mash the garlic with the back of a spatula or spoon. You want to be sure to get the garlic mashed and incorporated into the potatoes! 

Now add the potatoes (and garlic, if using fresh) back into the pan and add the butter and cream mixture and stir, whipping the potatoes with a whisk or a wooden spoon, until you get the desired creamy consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place into a bowl and garnish with a little more butter.