Mashed Potatoes
Potatoes in their simplest form. Boiled and then pureed. Until Joel Robuchon took on this dish, nobody would have dared to believe that you could cook your way to the heaven of 3 Michelin stars with it.
This recipe is based on the ideas of Joel Robuchon.
The history of the potato goes back thousands of years. It begins in Europe in the 16th century after the Spanish brought it from South America.
Interesting: in the first decades in Europe, potatoes were mainly planted for their beautiful flowers. It was only recognized in the 18th century that the underground seeds would make delicious food and could be stored for a long time. Since then, the triumphal procession around the world has been unstoppable. Potatoes are grown in every part of the world except the tropics and are the third most commonly grown food after wheat and rice.
There are many local variations.
Potatoes are divided into early (from the beginning of June), middle (from mid-August) and late varieties (from mid-September) depending on when they are harvested. Depending on the starch content, there are waxy, predominantly waxy and floury potatoes.
Important Questions
There are heated discussions among the puree disciples:
What kind of potato do you use?
Probably the most important question. The fine taste of the variety that is used is essential. Intuitively, floury potatoes are used, but Joel Robuchon uses the waxy French ‘La Ratte’ potato. This is similar to the Kipfler or the Bamberger Hörnchen, which is common in Austria.
What kitchen appliances are used?
Everything that is operated by hand is allowed. Spatulas, whisks, strainers. High-speed machines such as (stick) mixers are prohibited. These destroy the starch cells and the result is a sticky mass and no airy puree.
Butter?
Must be cold and can’t be enough. “Beaucoup de beurre, beaucoup de cœur” or “a lot of butter, a lot of heart” is a motto for this recipe. Accordingly, only small portions are served.
Hot on the table
Mashed potatoes can also be warmed up excellently in the steam cooker the next day, but you can also gently warm it up again in a saucepan over a water bath. The somewhat more brute variant is to dilute the cold puree with a little warm milk and heat it up while stirring constantly.
Ingredients
4-6 servings
– 1 kg of potatoes
– 250 grams of cold butter
– 350 ml milk
– 5 g of coarse salt per liter of water
– Salt and (white) pepper as needed for the puree
Refining
The real puree fetishists use more butter. 500g per kilo of potatoes is not uncommon.
The milk can also (partially) be replaced with cream.
Depending on which main course the puree is served with, a little nutmeg can set a very fine accent.
CULINAMUS
For our Culinamus puree, we use “La Ratte” potatoes if available and 250 g butter per kilo of potatoes. Plus a touch of nutmeg. If we are expecting guests, we prepare the puree the day before and then gently warm it up in the steamer.
Preparation
15 minutes & 25 minutes cooking
– Cut the butter into small cubes and put it in the fridge
– Measure milk
– Place the unpeeled potatoes in a saucepan and fill with cold water 2 – 3 finger widths over the potatoes. Add 5 grams of coarse salt per liter of water.
Cook until the potatoes come off the fork easily when pricked. This takes about 25 minutes.
Cooking
1 hour
– Let the potatoes cool down a bit and then peel them.
– Turn the potatoes into a large saucepan with the smallest insert using a brisk lotte (vegetable grinder/passer). This takes time and is also quite exhausting, but it is worth it. The puree will be completely smooth.
– When all the potatoes are in the pot, heat the potatoes over a low to medium heat and allow the excess moisture to evaporate.
– Meanwhile, slowly heat the milk.
– After about 5 minutes, turn down the heat of the potato pan and slowly add the lumps of butter. Stir vigorously so that the butter is well incorporated.
– Then add the warm milk in small portions and stir vigorously again. Once a creamy consistency is achieved, stir with a whisk to incorporate more air. If the puree is still too thick, add more milk.
– If you like it particularly creamy, pass the puree through a sieve once or twice.
and together with that?
Drinks are based more on the main course and not so much on the side dish. In principle, however, a Chardonnay, for example a Morillon from Frauwallner, would certainly be a suitable combination. A white Cassis with a slightly salty note would certainly not be scoffed at either. Then Château de Fontcreuse, Blanc Cuvée would be highly recommended.
CULINAMUS!
