Aligot (Cheesy Mashed Potatos)

By: Jeffrey Eisner

Aligot (Cheesy Mashed Potatos)
cuisine icon Cuisine
French
cuisine icon Course
Side Dish
cuisine icon Duration
30 Minutes
cuisine icon Cooking Technique
Pressure Cook
cuisine icon Keywords
30 minutes, 4-6 servings, cheesy, french, french-style, heavy cream, instant pot, kosher salt and black pepper, mashed potatoes, pressure cook, salted butter, shredded gruyère/swiss or mozzarella cheese, side dish, yukon gold or idaho (russet) potatoes

serving icon Servings
4-6 Servings
Ingredients
  • 1 cup (0.24 liters) water
  • 2 1⁄4 pounds Yukon Gold or Idaho (russet) potatoes
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 6 cups (24 ounces) shredded Gruyère/Swiss or mozzarella cheese
  • kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
  • Pour 1 cup of water into your Instant Pot. Place the potatoes in a steamer basket and lower it into the pot. (You can also use the trivet, but the basket is easier.) Secure the lid, move the valve to the sealing position, and select Manual or Pressure Cook on High Pressure for 8 minutes. Perform a quick release when cooking is complete.
  • Using oven mitts, carefully remove the steamer basket and drain the liner pot. Return the liner pot to the Instant Pot and add the potatoes back in. Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes directly in the pot until most of the large chunks are gone.
  • Cancel the current setting, then select Sauté and adjust to the Normal or Medium setting. Add the butter and mix it into the potatoes. Pour in the heavy cream and stir until everything is well combined.
  • Gradually add the shredded cheese in batches, stirring with a silicone spoon. (Note: silicone-coated utensils work best with melty cheese as they won’t stick.) Keep stirring constantly until the potatoes take on a stretchy, taffy-like consistency and become aligot. As you mix, taste and season with optional salt and pepper. Continue stirring until the mixture is hot and super stretchy, about 5 minutes.
  • When done, hit Cancel and then select Keep Warm. Leave the aligot in the pot while serving, as the heat is essential to maintain the cheesy stretch. The aligot will firm up if left at room temperature for too long, so once plated, enjoy it sooner rather than later for the best results.
Notes
  • Jeff’s Tips:
  • I used 4 cups shredded Gruyère/Swiss and 2 cups shredded mozzarella, but you can just as well use Gouda, Cheddar, Colby Jack, Mexican/taco blend, or Monterey Jack. Any melty cheese will do! If you want your aligot to be a bit creamier, simply add up to another cup of cream in Step 4 when it begins to stretch. If you really want to make these potatoes over the top, add a package of Boursin or 3⁄4 cup Garlic Herb Cheese (page 21) when adding the cheese in Step 4.
  • To Serve 1–2:
  • Halve all of the ingredients. (NOTE: The amount of water added in Step 1 will always be 1 cup no matter what, as that creates the steam for cooking.) Cook time remains the same.
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