French-Style Mashed Potatoes (Pommes Purée)

Ingredients

• 2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes (peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces)
• 20 tbsp unsalted butter (2 1/2 sticks)
• 1.33 cup whole milk
• 1 tsp salt (plus extra to taste)
• white pepper (to taste)

Steps

1. 1

   Place potatoes in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear. Set aside to drain.

2. 2

   Heat the butter, milk, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a large saucepan over low heat until the butter has completely melted.

3. 3

   Add the rinsed potatoes to the saucepan, increase the heat to medium-low, and cook until the liquid just starts to boil.

4. 4

   Reduce the heat to low, partially cover the saucepan, and gently simmer until a paring knife can be slipped into and out of the centers of the potatoes with no resistance, about 30 to 40 minutes. Stir the mixture every 10 minutes during this process.

5. 5

   Drain the potatoes in a fine-mesh strainer set over a large bowl, reserving all of the cooking liquid.

6. 6

   Wipe out the saucepan. Return the reserved cooking liquid to the saucepan and place it over low heat.

7. 7

   Set a food mill fitted with the finest disk over the saucepan. Working in batches, transfer the potatoes to the hopper and process them into the liquid.

8. 8

   Using a whisk, recombine the potatoes and cooking liquid until smooth, about 10 to 15 seconds. The potatoes should be very soft and almost pourable.

9. 9

   Season with salt and white pepper to taste, and serve immediately.

Notes

Keep the richness of the pommes purée in mind when serving; a small dollop on each plate is usually sufficient. This recipe uses a food mill instead of a tamis to achieve a smooth texture with less labor.

Nutrition per serving

• side dish
• mashed potatoes
• French cuisine
• holiday
• vegetarian
• gluten-free