Paris Mash

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 kg potato, washed and unpeeled* (any good 'mashing' potato will do, e.g. dutch cream, nicola, desiree)
• 125 ml milk
• 200 ml cream
• 150 g butter, sliced, at room temperature
• salt
• fresh ground black pepper

Recipe

• 1 *i didn't want to fuss with peeling hot potatoes, so i peeled them before boiling. the recipe says boil them unpeeled and then peel while warm - suit yourself - i don't think i did any harm peeling them first.
• 2 so, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil, add a good tablespoon of salt, and add your potatoes, whole, peeled or unpeeled, and cook until you can poke a skewer or sharp knife through them with no resistance at all.
• 3 remove potatoes when cooked, and peel if necessary.
• 4 now, the recipe says to pass them, in batches, through a mouli or a potato ricer before beating in the heated milk, cream and butter with a wooden spoon - but i don't have a mouli or a ricer, and, if you don't have them either, move on to the next step!
• 5 use a potato masher to smash the potatoes down roughly.
• 6 combine the milk and cream in a jug and heat for about 1 minute on high in the microwave.
• 7 now, using a wooden spoon, gradually beat in the hot liquid and the sliced butter, in turns, until well combined.
• 8 next comes the 'tricky bit'. to get it really smooth without the benefit of fancy equipment, you need to use a stick mixer - but if you overdo it, the potato will go gluey, so you have to be careful!
• 9 using an electric stick mixer, just stab into the potatoes about 4-6 times, moving the mixer to different positions - no more than about 15-20 seconds in all.
• 10 taste, add salt and pepper as required.
• 11 then stir briefly again to make sure the mash is beautifully smooth.
• 12 serve immediately.
• 13 the paris mash will keep in the refrigerator for a day or two and it re-heats very happily in the microwave.
• 14 perfect served with your favourite casserole.