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Silky French pommes puree served in a bowl
Mary Johnson

Pommes Puree (Silky French Mashed Potatoes)

Bistro-style French mashed potatoes made by ricing hot Yukon Gold potatoes and folding in cold butter and hot milk. The result is silky, glossy, and rich, and it goes with steak, roast chicken, or fish.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: French
Calories: 270
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lb 900 g Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) chunks
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt for the cooking water
  • 8 tablespoons 113 g cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
  • ¾ cup 180 ml whole milk
  • Fine salt and white pepper to taste
  • Optional: a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Potato ricer or food mill
  • Small saucepan (for the milk)
  • Flexible spatula
  • Colander
  • Fine-mesh sieve and flat scraper (optional, for extra silk)

Method
 

  1. Put the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by about 1 inch. Add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt.
  2. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until a knife slides into a chunk with no resistance.
  3. While the potatoes cook, warm the milk in a small saucepan until steaming, then keep it hot over very low heat.
  4. Drain the potatoes well and let them sit in the colander for a minute. Return them to the empty pot over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, shaking gently, to steam off the surface moisture.
  5. Set a ricer or food mill over a large pot or bowl and press the hot potatoes through in batches.
  6. Put the riced potatoes over very low heat. Add the cold butter a few cubes at a time, folding gently with a flexible spatula until each addition melts before adding the next. Do not whip.
  7. Pour in the hot milk in a slow stream, stirring gently, until the puree is glossy and loosens to your preferred texture. You may not need every drop.
  8. Season with fine salt, white pepper, and nutmeg if using. Taste and adjust.
  9. Optional: for extra silk, push the puree through a fine-mesh sieve with a flat scraper.
  10. Serve warm in a warm bowl with a small knob of butter in the center.

Notes

  • Use Yukon Gold potatoes of similar size so they cook evenly. Russets work but give a fluffier, drier result.
  • Dry the potatoes after draining. Wet potatoes make a watery puree that no amount of butter fixes.
  • Rice the potatoes while hot, and never use a blender or food processor. It turns the starch gluey.
  • Keep the butter cold and the milk hot. This helps the butter blend in smoothly.
  • Everyday version: use 4 tablespoons of butter. Robuchon-style: increase the butter gradually, up to roughly 1 lb for 2 lb of potatoes, and sieve the puree.
  • Brown butter variation: cook 4 tablespoons of butter until golden and nutty, then spoon it over the finished puree.
  • Dairy-free: use a good plant-based butter and warm unsweetened oat or soy milk.
  • To keep warm for up to about an hour, cover the bowl and set it over barely simmering water, then stir in a splash of hot milk before serving.
  • Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for about 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat with a few tablespoons of milk until steaming hot (165°F). Freezing is possible but can make the texture slightly grainy.
  • Quantities, times, and calories are estimates. Test the recipe once and adjust the milk and butter to your taste.