Ember-Roasted Mashed Potatoes

In short

Mashed potatoes do not have to come from a pot. Here the potatoes cook directly in the embers until the skin turns black and the inside becomes soft and smoky. With butter, roasted garlic and salt, this turns into a side that belongs next to steak, smoker meat and fire-plate cooking.

Ingredients

• 1 kg floury potatoes
• 80 g butter
• 1 bulb garlic
• coarse salt
• black pepper
• optional warm milk or cream
• optional chives or parsley

Setup

• ember bed from wood or charcoal
• grill tongs
• heatproof bowl
• potato masher or sturdy fork
• optional grill, smoker or fire plate for the main dish

Method

1. Wash the potatoes well and leave the skins on.
2. Prepare a stable ember bed. It should be hot but no longer flaming wildly.
3. Place the potatoes directly into the embers and turn regularly.
4. Roast the whole garlic bulb near the embers until the cloves are soft.
5. Remove the potatoes, let them steam briefly and open them carefully.
6. Scoop the soft potato flesh out of the skins. A few dark smoky bits are welcome.
7. Add butter and the squeezed roasted garlic cloves.
8. Mash roughly. Add warm milk or cream if you want it creamier.
9. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Philipp's tip

The black skin is not a mistake. It protects the potato and brings smoke. Do not scrape everything perfectly clean, but keep hard ash out of the mash.

Goes with

• steak from the fire plate
• brisket, pulled beef or other smoker meat
• grilled vegetables from the plancha
• strong jus or brown butter