Roasted Jalapeno Mashed Potatoes

On Cinco de Mayo, I went out for Mexican for lunch - my favorite kind of lunch! I wanted to cook something Mexican for dinner, but since I had just enjoyed enchiladas, rice, beans, and nachos at lunch, I decided to go with Mexican inspired, instead.

Jon marinated pork chops in a tequila/chili marinade that he whipped up and then grilled them. I found potato inspiration in this recipe for Jalapeno Mashed Potatoes.

I love roasting peppers and the smoky flavor they bring to dishes. Jalapenos are spicy, but roasting them brings out a deeper heat, not the on the surface, tongue burning heat you get from raw jalapenos. To roast them, I simply placed them on the grates on my gas stove top. I flipped them around a few times until all sides were black and charred. Then I covered them for 10 minutes before gently removing the skins.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs red potatoes
• 2 jalapenos, roasted, peeled, seeded, chopped, then mixed with 1/4 c light cream and a few dashes salt to puree
• 3 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp sour cream
• 1/2 pt light (or heavy) cream
• Salt to taste
• Shredded Mexican blend cheese
• Chopped chives

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375.
• Wash potatoes, halve them, and put in a pot of lightly salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain.
• In the meantime, transfer the jalapeno/cream/salt mixture to a blender and puree. I used my handheld immersion blender with one of the cup attachments since it was such a small amount.
• Add jalapeno puree, butter, salt, and cream to potatoes. Whip until creamy using a handheld mixer; adjust salt as needed, add more cream and butter if you want to get them lighter/creamier. Note, I normally use my hand masher, but wanted light whipped potatoes for this dish.
• Mix in the sour cream and transfer to a baking dish.
• Top with the shredded cheese and bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese has completely melted into the potatoes.
• Top with chives and serve.

I wish you could taste these potatoes through your computer screen! The jalapeno added the best flavor - not overpowering, but deep and smoky with just a touch of heat. We both had seconds, and I have to admit that I finished the potatoes over the next 2 days... leftovers were great!

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