Ingredients
- Large floury potatoes
- Salted butter (whey butter for preference)
- Double cream or whole milk – depending on how rich you like your mash (and your cholesterol!!)
- Salt and pepper
- Other flavourings if desired – e.g. grain mustard, fresh soft herbs such as parsley, dill or chive, cheese, scallion etc
Method
- This is a lengthy process but the cooking and scooping out of the potato can be done a day ahead if desired.
- The trick is to bake the potatoes in their jackets instead of the usual peeling and boiling method. This process gives you a dry potato base with an intense potato flavour. Being drier means you can add more butter and milk or cream for a rich, indulgent mash.
- Potato selection is all important. Personally I like to use a floury potato such as Maris, Marquis, King Edward, Vivaldi, Mayan Gold (my favourite a Peruvian Phureja type), Russet or for a splash of colour Red Emmalie. Although some chefs prefer (and swear by) a waxy variety. Ah well, each to their own.
- Once you have chosen your variety select larger tubers to get the best yield.
- Bake the potatoes in their jackets for approximately 35 -50 minutes depending on tuber size. Once cooked cut the potatoes in half and scoop out the flesh with a spoon. N.B. you will need to work quickly as you really want to do this part while the potatoes are still hot (rubber gloves might be an idea)
- Discard the skins or use for loaded jacket skins or (if you’re feeling particularly cheffy) dehydrate and blitz in a food processor to make potato ‘dust’ as a seasoning for soups, salads and other potato dishes
- Once you have scooped out the flesh push through a fine sieve (a large drum sieve is the best if you have one) with the back of a spoon or pastry scraper, or use a potato ricer. At this point you can cover the potato and refrigerate to use later
- Meanwhile melt the milk or cream and butter together in a pan or bowl in a microwave. You want this mix to be hot so that the potato absorbs it easier.
- Place the potato in a thick bottom pan whilst still hot (if you are using from the fridge heat up gently ready to take the butter and cream) then slowly add the hot milk/cream and butter mixture to desired texture. I have deliberately not given measurements as some like a very loose (pomme puree style) whilst others like a firmer, ‘soak up the gravy’ version.
- Add any additions if using, Check the seasoning and serve piping hot.
