Pommes Purée

Pommes purée is the French take on mashed potatoes, pushed toward their silkiest, richest extreme: potatoes riced until perfectly smooth and enriched with a generous amount of butter and warm milk. The everyday version and the luxurious restaurant one are the same dish at different butter ratios — the legendary Joël Robuchon used a full 2:1 of potato to butter, and sometimes I wonder if he ever tried leaving out the potatoes altogether.

Serves 4–6

Ingredients

• 2 lbs starchy or all-purpose potatoes (Yukon Gold or russet), peeled and cut into even chunks
• 6 oz unsalted butter (use 16 oz for Robuchon-style), cold and cubed
• ½–1 cup whole milk, warmed
• White pepper
• Salt

Boiling & Steaming

Boiled Broccoli Boiled Asparagus Glazed Carrots Boiled Potatoes with Parsley Butter Perfect Steamed White Rice Japanese Steamed Rice Risotto Rice Pilaf

Cooking with Water and Vapor→

Method

For a smooth purée, use a ricer. It is well worth the investment if you want the best result; a hand masher is fine for a rustic mash; never use a food processor.

Boil and dry the potatoes

To be honest, I always boil them. It is much quicker, and the result is nearly as good.

Put the potatoes in a pot and cover with cold, well-salted water. Bring to a boil, then simmer until completely tender, 15–20 minutes — a knife should meet no resistance at all. Drain thoroughly and let them steam-dry in the pot for three to five minutes until the steam subsides. Dry potatoes take on more butter. Most people mash the potatoes immediately after draining them, which dilutes the flavor significantly.

Rice and enrich

Pass the potatoes through a ricer back into the warm pot, or mash them by hand, working them as little as possible. Stir in the butter a few cubes at a time, letting it melt in fully, then add the warm milk a little at a time until the purée is as loose as you want it. Season well with salt and white pepper, and serve hot.