This warm and filling winter comfort food also lets you serve up a bit of festive spring green color.
MASHED POTATOES WITH FRESH PESTO
Dress up your taters with our lovely, bright green homemade pesto. Ordinary pesto and garlic-mashed potatoes aren't suitable for low-FODMAP diets, but you don't have to go without! Garlic-infused oil is used to keep the pesto low in FODMAPs, and lactose-free milk makes delicious, creamy mashed potatoes. This recipe makes a large batch, so serve it at your next dinner party or holiday meal.
INGREDIENTS:
If you swirl the pesto into the potatoes, bam: green potatoes for St. Patrick's day.
6 tablespoons garlic-infused olive oil
6 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon salt, divided
½ cup chopped walnuts
2 cups packed fresh basil
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 ¼ pounds potatoes, peeled
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
1 1/3 cups lactose-free whole milk
3 tablespoons butter
PROCEDURE:
- Measure the olive oil, water, ¼ teaspoon salt, and walnuts into the bowl of a blender or food processor. Process to grind the walnuts to the consistency of coarse sand. Add the basil leaves while the machine is running and process the pesto to form a coarse paste. Pulse the blender or food processor to stir in the Parmesan cheese.
- Cut the potatoes into two-inch pieces. In a large stockpot, cover them with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat, cover the pot and simmer the potatoes for about 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain the potatoes and add ¼ teaspoon salt, pepper, butter and milk. Using a hand-held masher, mash the potatoes until smooth.
- Divide potatoes into serving bowls. Make a "nest" using the back of a spoon or ladle, and fill with pesto. Serve immediately.
VARIATIONS AND SUBSTITUTIONS:
Ready-made garlic-infused oil can be purchased. It is sometimes labeled as "dipping oil." Or you can make a quick batch at home just for this recipe. Measure 6 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon of olive oil into a small saucepan or skillet. Add two cloves of garlic, cut into large chunks. Over medium-low heat, simmer the garlic just until it begins to brown. Remove and discard the garlic.
You can substitute some baby spinach or kale for part of the basil in this recipe.
COOKING AND SERVING TIPS:
While you can halve the amount of mashed potatoes in this recipe to feed a smaller number of people, smaller batches of pesto are difficult to make in a blender because the volume is too small for the blades to process effectively. Leftover pesto should be used or frozen within 4 days.
Serves: 9
For a printable PDF version of this recipe, click here.
This page may contain affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.