1 1/2 pounds yukon gold potatoes ( cut in quarters) do not peel
1/2 cup milk (warmed either in pan on stovetop or in microwave)
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp roasted garlic paste (see below)
grey salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

8 tortillas
guacamole recipe
pico di gallo recipe
shredded lettuce
diced white onions
shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Add potatoes to a large pot of salted water. (salt the water like you would for pasta). Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender (about 15-20 minutes). Drain the potatoes and add back to the now empty pot. Cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until potatoes and pot are dry (stir continuously to prevent potatoes from sticking). Turn heat to low and add warm milk and olive oil to potatoes and mash using a potato masher. The potatoes will be lumpy due to the skins, so check to ensure milk and olive oil are thoroughly incorporated into potatoes. Add garlic paste and salt/pepper to taste… additional milk may be added if potatoes are too dry. Serve immediately. serves 4

fresh salsa..a.k.a pico di gallo

2 cups heirloom tomatoes (any color) seeded and diced, and placed in a strainer
1/2 c diced red onion
1 small clove garlic, finely minced
1 jalapeno, remove seeds and membrane, finely chopped
1 serrano chili, remove seeds and membrane, finely chopped
1 tbsp cilantro
1 tsp red pepper flakes
grey sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper
juice and zest of 1/2 lime

combine first 7 ingredients in medium sized bowl..add salt and pepper to taste. cover bowl with plastic film and allow to sit for 30 minutes..add lime juice and zest…stir, taste and adjust seasonings..note..i loathe watery salsa, so i place the mixture in a strainer and allow to sit for a few minutes..place back in bowl, stir and adjust seasoning again if needed. this salsa is a bit spicy..removing the seeds and membrane from the peppers reduces a lot of the heat..but if you do not like hot foods..reduce or eliminate the red pepper flakes..

Roasted Garlic Paste
You can make this with as many heads of garlic as you wish…this no-recipe recipe is as follows:

With a sharp knife, cut off the very top of each head of garlic…you should just see the very tip of the garlic cloves after cutting. Remove the first layer or two of papery garlic skin from the garlic head…not too much, you want the garlic cloves to remain attached. Place the garlic root side down in a small ovenproof pan or baking dish, you want the garlic to fit tightly in the pan, the pan size will depend on the number of garlic heads you are roasting. Make more than you need. This paste will last a few days and you will use it in everything! Drizzle cut side of garlic with extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt (I like grey salt) and freshly ground pepper. Cover pan tightly with foil and roast in a 375 degree oven for 20-30 minutes. Garlic should be very tender. Remove foil, drizzle with additional olive oil and continue roasting for 10 minutes more.

At this point you can squeeze the garlic from the cloves directly onto toasted french or sourdough bread which is lovely…or you can squeeze all the garlic into a small bowl, mash with a wooden spoon and drizzle with additional extra virgin olive oil to create a smooth paste. Taste and add additional salt/pepper if desired. Garlic paste can be stirred into your smashed potatoes, added to toasted bread, added to roasted or steamed vegetables, stirred into sauces…etc. Once you taste it you will be inspired to add it to almost everything!