French Potato Puree Recipes

REALLY CREAMY POTATO PURéE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• On a parchment-lined sheet pan, arrange the potatoes in an even layer. Bake the potatoes until tender, about 45 minutes. Let the potatoes cool slightly until able to be handled but still hot. Peel the potatoes.
• Add one potato at a time to a ricer and rice the potatoes into a pot. Add the warm cream to the potatoes and some pieces of butter. Whisk until smooth. Continue to add most of the remaining butter, whisking piece by piece, reserving 1 to 2 tablespoons to finish. Season the potatoes with salt.
• Fill a small Dutch oven with hot water to warm it up. Dump the water and transfer the potatoes to the pot. Top with the remaining butter and garnish with chives.

GARLIC AND ROSEMARY POTATO PUREE

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with about 2 inches of water and add a pinch of salt. Set steamer basket in pot, making sure water doesn't seep through holes. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a rapid simmer.
• Add potatoes to steamer basket and steam until tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Bring cream, garlic, and rosemary to a simmer in a small pot, then remove from heat and let steep 30 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve. Clean pot, then return cream to pot. Add butter and heat over medium until melted, stirring to combine. Cover and keep warm, either over lowest setting on the stove or in a warm pot.
• Remove potatoes from steamer basket and while the potatoes are still hot, pass through a ricer or a food mill fitted with a fine disk into a large bowl. Stir in cream mixture and season with salt and pepper. If a finer texture is desired, pass puree through a medium-mesh sieve, pressing on solids with a rubber spatula to extract as much puree as possible. Reheat over medium heat with a little more cream or water if necessary before serving.

POTATO PUREE

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with about 2 inches water. Set steamer basket in pot (water should not come through the holes). Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a rapid simmer.
• Add potatoes to steamer basket and steam until tender when pierced with a knife, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Simmer, whisking occasionally, until the butter is deep golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Place the thyme and garlic in a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth. Strain the butter over the garlic and thyme into a medium bowl, add cream, and whisk to combine.
• Remove potatoes from steamer basket. Drain, and immediately press through a medium mesh sieve into a large bowl using a rubber spatula. Fold the cream mixture into the potatoes. Press mixture through a fine mesh sieve. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

POTATO-AND-CHEESE PURéE

Steps:

• Cover potatoes with salted water > by 2 inches in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot and simmer until very tender, about 40 minutes. Drain in a colander.
• Mince garlic and mash to a paste with 1 teaspoon salt using side of a large heavy knife.
• When potatoes are cool enough to handle when held in a kitchen towel, peel and force through ricer into cleaned saucepan. Add butter, garlic paste, and milk and cook over moderately low heat, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon, until fluffy and heated through, about 2 minutes. Add cheese and pepper and cook, stirring vigorously with a heatproof rubber spatula or wooden spoon, until cheese is melted, smooth, and almost taffylike, about 10 minutes.
• Preheat broiler. Butter baking dish. (If using 6 individual gratin dishes, butter and put on a baking sheet.)
• Transfer potato mixture to baking dish, smoothing top.
• Beat cream in a bowl with an electric mixer until it holds soft peaks, then beat in horseradish and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Spread horseradish cream over potato mixture and broil 4 to 5 inches from heat, rotating gratin if it isn't browning evenly, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes.

ROASTED FRENCH-STYLE POTATOES

Steps:

• Peel and cut the potatoes into 1/2-inch strips.
• Fill a medium bowl with cold water and soak cut potatoes for 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking oil.
• Remove the potatoes from the water and dry well.
• Combine white wine, oil, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl and mix well. Add potatoes and toss to coat. Spread out potatoes on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer without touching.
• Roast in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Turn and continue roasting, turning occasionally, until potatoes are golden brown, an additional 15 to 20 minutes.