Pommes Aligot

Directions

1. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 2-inch pieces. Add them to a large pot and add room temperature water to cover the potatoes. Add a few pinches of salt to the water, and then gently simmer the potatoes over medium high heat until they are fork tender, about 30 minutes.
2. When the potatoes are tender, remove them from the simmering water and mash them using either a ricer, food mill, or tamis. Discard the water but save the pot, you'll use it again. If you use a masher or a fork, the pommes aligot will not have the correct texture. A ricer, food mill, or tamis is important here.
3. Add the butter and cream to the pot. Use medium heat to melt the butter and warm the cream. Add the mashed potatoes and whisk until smooth. Taste the mashed potatoes. Add salt as necessary, remembering that you're about to add a lot of cheese, so your mashed potatoes shouldn't be too salty at this point.
4. Reduce the heat to low, and add the cheese in three batches. Stir using a wooden spoon. When one batch of cheese is fully melted, add the next batch. When all the cheese is added, taste the pommes aligot. Add salt as necessary. Serve immediately. Enjoy!