Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Shallots, Sage, and Pancetta

A while back a friend of mine shared the idea of mashed potatoes with caramelized shallots and sage. I loved the idea of this and thought it would be good, but maybe even better if I added some pancetta to the mix. I decided to make them for a special occasion not too long ago as a side for a Prime Rib roast BD and I did. They really don’t require a whole lot of extra work than regular mashed potatoes and really add an extra nice touch. You could use your own mashed potato recipe, but I’ve included my basic one in this here.

Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Shallots, Sage, and Pancetta

*Serves 2-4

(Printable recipe)

Ingredients:

For mashed potatoes -

- 1.5 pounds of potatoes

- 3 tablespoons of butter

- ½ - ¾ cup heavy cream

- Salt and pepper to taste

The mix-ins -

- 2 quarter inch thick slices of pancetta

- 2 medium or 3 small shallots, sliced thin

- 2 tablespoons of minced fresh sage (if using dried use half the amount)

- A heaping tablespoon of butter

Directions:

For the Potatoes –

1. Peel potatoes and cut into even sized cubes. Boil in hot water until fork tender. The exact amount of time will depend on the size of the pieces.

2. Once potatoes are cooked, drain well. Add butter, S&P, and mashed together. Stir in heavy cream until you have a smooth consistency.

For the mix-ns –

1. Cut the pancetta into bite-sized cubes. Sauté in a non-stick pan until browned. About 5 minutes. Remove from pan, drain fat, and set aside.

2. You can use the same pan for this step but I would recommend wiping out the excess fat. Over low heat melt the heaping tablespoon of butter. Add the shallots and sauté, stirring frequently, until caramelized. About 10 minutes.

3. Add sage and sauté an additional 2 minutes. Add pancetta back to the pan and remove from heat.

4. Fold mixture into potatoes. Serve.

Thoughts: These are ah-maz-ing. If you are ever looking for a new twist on plain old taters this is a recipe you will love. Each of the ingredients adds a real luxurious quality to them. None of the ingredients overwhelm the potatoes or each other and work well together to make a very happy mouth. I really like the extra layer of flavor that the sage brought. I generally don’t use sage a whole lot – no particular reason why – and I honestly think I would add it to potatoes by itself for a great side.