Crispy Bone Marrow Garlic Mash Recipe

preheat and prepare bones

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Pat marrow bones dry with paper towel. Sprinkle marrow cavities lightly with coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

roast marrow

Arrange bones, marrow-side up, on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Roast in the preheated oven 15–20 minutes, until marrow is bubbling and edges are golden but not fully liquefied (timing depends on bone thickness). Remove from oven and set aside to keep warm. Reserve any rendered marrow and juices on the tray.

finish

Spoon roasted marrow into a small dish and mix gently with a pinch of lemon zest and half the chopped parsley. Keep remaining parsley for garnish. Serve alongside or spooned over the garlic mash just before plating; squeeze lemon quarters to taste over marrow.

boil potatoes and garlic

Place potato cubes and whole garlic cloves in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Add 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes are very tender, 15–18 minutes. Drain well.

mash and enrich

While potatoes drain, warm butter, heavy cream and milk together in a small saucepan or microwave until butter melts and mixture is hot but not boiling. Return drained potatoes and garlic to the pot or a bowl. Mash with a potato masher or ricer until mostly smooth. Gradually stir in the warm butter-cream mixture until you reach a creamy consistency. Season with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper, tasting and adjusting as needed. Keep warm.

incorporate marrow

If you reserved any rendered marrow from the roasting tray, fold 1–2 tablespoons into the mash for extra richness (optional).

cook shallot and breadcrumbs

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced shallot and cook, stirring, until soft and starting to brown, about 3–4 minutes. Add panko breadcrumbs and cook, stirring frequently, until breadcrumbs are golden and crisp, 3–4 more minutes.

season and finish topping

Remove skillet from heat. Stir in grated Parmesan, smoked paprika and 1/2 tsp fine sea salt. Taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer crumb mixture to a small bowl so it remains crisp.

Spoon garlic mash into warmed serving bowls or onto a platter. Make shallow wells in the surface of the mash and spoon the roasted marrow (or marrow mixture) into the wells, or serve marrow on the side with small spoons.

Scatter the crispy breadcrumb-shallot topping evenly over the mash, reserving a little for garnish. Sprinkle remaining chopped parsley and an extra pinch of lemon zest over the top. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing.