Rich Potato Puree

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: About 10 minutes

(Serves 6-8 as an accompaniment)

This is definitely not your everyday mashed potato. It is so rich and buttery that it really is a decadent, delicious treat for special occasions.

Ingredients

• 3 potatoes (around 700g), peeled
• 1 cup (250ml) milk
• 125g good quality unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature
• salt, to taste

Method

Halve the pototes and place them in a large pan of cold salted water, then bring it to the boil. Cook them until they’re tender – about 10 minutes – and then strain them well. Empty the pan and dry it, then return the potatoes to the pan.

Heat the milk in a separate saucepan, but don’t let it boil. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes as quickly as possible, gradually introducing cubes of butter. Change to a sturdy wire whisk and beat in the hot milk a little at a time until the puree is the consistency you want. For a thicker puree, stop at half a cup of milk; for a runny puree, stir in a full cup.

Taste the puree and add salt. (Be aware that potato tends to need quite a lot of salt in order not to taste bland). Keep whisking until the puree is completely smooth and free of lumps. For a truly lump-free puree, push the mixture through a wire sieve with a spatula. As the potato cools it will thicken up.

Note: To reheat any left over puree, stir in a little extra milk over a gentle heat.