Ingredients

• 4 or 5 large potatoes (30oz - 850g)
• 1 sprig of fresh thyme (or one tsp dried)
• 1 garlic clove
• Nutmeg
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 egg (yolk)
• 50g - 2oz butter
• 70g - 2.5oz cheddar cheese
• Salt and pepper
• Optional Italian parsley (flat leaf)

Steps

• Step 1

  Wash and peel potatoes, trim off any eyes or unsightly bits.

• Step 2

  Rinse under cold water.

• Step 3

  Place in steamer and cook for 30-40 min or until tender. (boil in water in you don’t have a steamer)

• Step 4

  Peel and grate the garlic into a saucepan.

• Step 5

  Add the cream to saucepan.

• Step 6

  Add a sprinkle of nutmeg (not much)

• Step 7

  Season with salt and pepper.

• Step 8

  Add the fresh thyme or dried.

• Step 9

  Bring to the boil gently, leave to simmer 2 minutes and turn off (be careful it doesn’t over boil).

• Step 10

  Preheat the oven to 200ºC – 400ºF

• Step 11

  Check to see if your potatoes are cooked, place a knife through one it should feel tender.

• Step 12

  If cooked, remove from steamer and place through a ricer or use a potato masher.

• Step 13

  Season potatoes with salt and pepper (taste later that it’s well seasoned).

• Step 14

  Melt the butter in microwave or on stove top.

• Step 15

  Add butter to potato mash and mix well so all the butter is blended into mash.

• Step 16

  Place potato mash into an oven proof dish, and flatten using a fork.

• Step 17

  Take an egg, separate the yolk from the white and place the yolk into the cream. Remove any fresh thyme and whisk until mixed.

• Step 18

  Grate the cheese.

• Step 19

  Pour all the cream mixture over potato mash.

• Step 20

  Top with all the grated cheese.

• Step 21

  Bake in oven at 200ºC – 400ºF for 20 minutes

• Step 22

  Optional, chop the parsley and sprinkle over potato mash.

• Step 23

  Best to wait 30 minutes before serving to allow it to cool down.

Little Tips

Any potato will work but use starchy potatoes for best results.